Project Ultrabright
by HarbingersOfWar
Summary: Fifteen-year-old Akira Yamaguchi has been plagued by nightmares of a tragic past for years. Now, she comes back to her hometown, Musutafu, and joins the hero course after a scuffle with the law.Driven by a powerful purpose: to find answers to a tragedy that befell her family, and bring to light the truth hidden within her nightmares.
1. Chapter I: Hello, Musutafu

Chapter I: Hello, Musutafu

Akira, fifteen, high school student, vigilante on probation, was buried under boxes of her clothes, gaming equipment and Funko Pop collection. It was a fitting start for a new year in high school- asphyxiated and regretting it.

Her Pro-Hero uncle was outside, helping with the moving van. She didn't have much things. The van was barely half full by the time she was done packing. Understandable, she left home with a single hiking bag on her back, and took the train straight from Akita to Tokyo. All that she had in the van, she had to build once more. She would have to do it again here.

With a wave of her hand, golden glowing tendrils came out and floated toward the boxes. They hovered away from her and gently landed on the dinner table with a soft thud.

 _A few more boxes._ She sighed.

"Akira, I've got the last box." Her uncle called out from downstairs. After that, she heard the faint noises of a vehicle leaving.

She had started unpacking her clothes first. Her room was spacious but her own things were sparse, even with the addition of her study desk, dresser, nightstand, plus the bed and shelf that was already there. She didn't see anything bad about it. She never needed a lot of things, but she needed to use the huge space. It felt incomplete, and just staring right at her. She should ask her uncle if it was okay.

"Wow. You really need more stuff…" Speak of the devil. He entered the room and nearly tripped on a mat.

"Was Ken even paying you well working in that coffee shop?" The tall burly man asked as he passed her another box.

"He paid me well. Very well. Even gave me a raise after a year. Helped me build this beast of a computer," she bragged and kissed the LCD monitor of her PC.

"Yeah? Then why'd you have so little stuff then?" He quipped.

"Why'd you buy a big ass house? You're the only one here," she retorted, while unravelling the cables from her computer.

Her uncle shook his head, smirking. Uncle Vlad was a spirited man with a strong personality. His quirk made him intimidating. Hell, anything with blood made anyone intimidating, especially if you could control it, and that was exactly his Quirk. Vlad King, they called him.

"Aizawa will be here for dinner. He has a few things to tell you," he said.

"Umm-okay? What's up this time?"

"I don't know, kiddo. Probably just some last minute reminders."

"Hmm."

He went downstairs to prepare dinner, leaving Akira alone. She turned on her bluetooth speaker, paired it with her phone and played some tunes. Camille Saint-Saëns' _Danse Macabre_ played as she unpacked. It was fitting. Death was coming to visit after all. Or someone who looked like Death due to the lack of sleep. _Poor man_.

Also, it was a fine piece of music, so why not? It had that crescendo that slowly simmered, and when it rose in tempo and loudness, it was perfect. Satisfying. It was genius. She admired the musicians and composers a long time ago. No matter how far music has come, she always came back to them.

After unloading the boxes and folding them to be kept away, she sorted her clothes out by purpose-between the stuff she could wear everyday, for certain occasions and of course, the seasonal ones, and lastly, by color. She had to. Her wardrobe would look like the embodiment of chaos if she didn't follow any sort of system.

"Aki! Do you want to go grocery shopping with me? I ran out of a few things." He announced.

"Yeah, sure. Let me make a list," she said. She took a piece of paper from one of her many notebooks.

Cereal. _No, no. I'm a grown ass lady._

Cereal Koko Krunch.

Kotex (no wings) _God, those things..._

Shampoo (the vanilla & rose lavender one)

Conditioner

Lip Balm. She ran out a few days ago and her lips get chapped faster than quick drying cement.

Uncle Vlad also had weak ass coffee. It was the most disgusting shameful specimen Akira had ever tasted. It should sue itself for the false advertising that is the "caffeinated" stuck its name. She refused to call it coffee. It was closer to watered-down pee from a lightweight with a kidney infection. She added it to the list.

Coffee (as strong as All Might's Delaware smash)

Milk

That's about it. She would just pick the rest up when they got there. On cue, her uncle called and asked if she was ready to leave. She was still wearing her t-shirt, jeans and sneaker combo. Akira put on a hoodie before she went out of her room. It was spring but there was a chill in the air. She'd rather not catch a cold. Tomorrow's attendance was important.

"I'm coming down there. Wait up!" She exclaimed as she ran down the stairs.

It was a ten minute walk to the closest supermarket. When they walked in, the chilly conditioned air sunk right into Akira's bones. She was grateful for her preparedness.

She helped her uncle with the shopping, advised him and had to pull a few items away from him, switching them with cheaper, more efficient alternatives. He grumbled every time she corrected him, but didn't argue.

"Don't get that store-bought chicken stock. Those are expensive! Why would you spend more than two-thousand yen when you can make that at home with spare change? How the hell are you survivin'?" She complained. Her uncle scratched the back of his neck.

 _Well, something's never changed._

"I can make you really good stock. Just you wait. Did that bread just say "potassium bromate"? Are you fucking serious? Throw them back. I could make you brownies instead. Your kitchen needs a regime change, Uncle Vlad." She all but seethed.

When they got most of the items, her uncle paused to check his list, and found he forgot to get some soy sauce. He told her to wait as he ran towards his target. Coincidentally, they were near the cereal aisle. It was the last thing on her list.

She pushed the heavy cart and stood there looking poignantly at the top shelf. The boxes were stacked. If she pulled out wrong, it would rain hell on her. She could wait for her uncle and ask him kindly for assistance. She'd rather not. So, she chose the old fashioned way, tiptoeing.

Alas, so close yet so far, her fingertips brushed and grabbed, but the stacks above looked grimly down at her. One move was all it would take. The boxes said "great taste", but all Akira could hear was "I double dare you, motherfucker". She gave it a last attempt, reached and slowly pulled a box when a scarred hand covered hers.

"I'll get it for ya," a young man's deep voice drawled. She looked at her helper, and was about to thank him, but his appearance made her pause.

He was ruggedly dressed and his hair was spiky and unruly. He was as scarred as the hand that helped her. He was young, about less than a decade older than her. Most of all, the young man had metallic piercings or prosthesis attached on his skin: at the sides of his mouth and below his eyes. Akira nearly winced at the painful procedure that would've been needed to put all those there. She couldn't stop thinking about the whys and the hows. The pain.

"It's rude to stare, you know." He said to her. There was no anger though, but amusement.

"Sorry, I-I-uhh-I didn't mean to." She told him. He held out the box of cereals for her.

"It's ugly. I know." He drawled, looking away from her. It looked crude yet systematically placed. She wondered if it was a recent operation. She doubted it though, not with how those scars looked. She could only imagine how people saw him. A deviant. A monster. She knew it all too well.

"I didn't think that… I just thought... that looked like it hurt." She took the box from his hand.

"Thanks for helping me." She smiled shyly at him and for a few seconds, they merely stared at each other, one out of shock, the other, out of cluelessness on what to do next. Akira broke the spell.

"Umm, anyway, I gotta go. See ya." She walked out the aisle, not hearing the stranger's reply.

"Yeah, sure." He replied.

She found her uncle meandering around, probably looking for her. When she found him, he looked a little worried.

"Where were you?" He asked, a bit breathless.

"I got a box of cereal. What took you so long?"

Her uncle ruffled her hair as they went to the cashier. When they paid for their items, Akira couldn't help but ask her uncle a question.

"Hey, uncle Vlad… Have you ever stapled yourself before?"

"What the hell kind of question is that? That sounds painful."

"Exactly! Why would anyone want to staple themselves?" She frowned.

"I would like to sanitize whatever box you pulled those thoughts from." Her uncle said as they walked out of the supermarket.

"Big mood."

* * *

The doorbell rang, and on the porch, stood Aizawa Shouta and his friend, Yamada Hizashi. The latter whistling as they waited. Well, Akira could hear the cockatoo man anyway. She opened the door.

"Good evening." She greeted them both. The lazy man only grunted a reply.

"HEY! WHAT'S UP?!" Hizashi-san roared, making the man beside him flinch.

Akira only blinked at him. "Come in both of you."

"I told you he'd bring his friend," she said to Vlad who was setting the table.

"Is your Quirk really Psionic energy? Can you tell the future, too?" Her uncle jokingly asked.

"No, he's just predictable." Akira replied.

The dinner with these strangers went well. Yamada-san seemed to be a curious and energetic man, always asking her questions, and always screaming it excitedly at her. She was sure the man knew about her circumstances, why she was currently living with her uncle. Was he trying to be nice?

"Akira-chan, how are you in class?" the DJ asked.

"I'm fine. I have high grades." She replied, then put a forkful of pasta into her mouth.

"Aren't you part of the student council back in Akita? What'd you do there?" The raven-haired man in front of her.

 _How'd the fuck did he- Peaking into my school records, huh?_

"Oh really?! Girl! You must be famous!" the blond man said. Aizawa-san winced. Regrets, regrets.

"I wouldn't say that. I have colleagues, lots of 'em. I had to work with a lot of people."

The conversation slowed down after that. When the table was cleared, the real purpose of Erasherhead's visit arose. Her uncle had volunteered to do the dishes and Yamada-san was currently annoying him in the kitchen, leaving her to Aizawa. Akira felt uneasy. She fidgeted with her fingers and it took all her strength not to chew on her nails again.

"First things first, the court's ruling, your probationary status, had conditions. Conditions with a lot of 'musts' in them. This is serious. Breaking them would mean jail time and with your Quirk, I could only guess Maximum Security. Trust me, you don't want that. Especially not at your age. I think you're smart enough to understand your situation, Yamaguchi. I'm going to read this to you again." Aizawa said.

She nodded, and looked at the smartwatch on her wrist.

"One of the court's conditions is that smartwatch. It works like any smartwatch. Can tell time. Your heart rate. Notify you of messages. This one though has a GPS tracker on it and it pings directly to the police. We have installed transmitters in your house, and in campus. You take this off outside of your home and outside of your school, the police and any nearby hero will apprehend you. This renders your probation non-existent." _Game over for me._

"We will not take away your freedom, but we will know wherever you are and at what time." He added.

"Another condition given by the court. Your attendance in U.A High is a must. Your behavior, your performance there will be assessed. It means you get in trouble in school or don't join classes...renders your probation non-existent." _Game over for me._

"Lastly, the most important part of your condition. If you are proven to be using one's Quirk without supervision, and being involved in extrajudicial activities, vigilantism for example," Aizawa added and looked at her, but her gaze had fallen on the table between them, "if you are deemed out of control and too dangerous by U.A and the court, this renders your probation status…"

 _Non-existent. Null and void. Game over._

For a few moments, as he spoke to her. She felt like she was in the courthouse again. It wasn't what she expected. She expected animosity. Vigilante, in this world full of heroes, was synonymous to criminal. Akira stood there, and for a while, she felt what Dante felt in the presence of the kings that judged the dead in the underworld.

There was fear. Her fate being in someone else's hands made her sick. There was anger. If they had done their jobs well, she wouldn't have broken the law.

"You were quiet the whole time the court made their decision on you. I expect you have a lot to say. You better say it now. Don't lie 'cause I'll know anyway." Aizawa spoke.

"Look, my methods were wrong. I agree on that. I understand that a hundred percent. Doesn't mean I feel bad about it." Their eyes met.

"Whatever good it is you think you're doing, you're not above the law," Aizawa contended, his eyes boring into her.

"Yeah, well crime syndicates and villains must have missed the memo," Akira quipped and gave him a wry smile.

"Look, I'm agreeing to go to U.A already. I'm going to see what all the fuss is about with this hero school. What I did is not gonna matter in the long run. This conversation is not going to matter in the long run." Akira stood up this time.

"I did nothing wrong. I stand by that. My only regret is poor planning." Akira said.

"Did nothing wrong? Attacking a civilian? Nearly jeopardizing an arrest? Putting yourself in harm's way? Putting other people in harm's way? Those are all the things you did wrong." Aizawa argued.

"That _civilian_ was the head of a crime syndicate that specializes in kidnapping individuals, those with and without Quirks, and selling them to the Black Market. He was an animal, and lucky to be alive. I do admit, I did have a momentary lapse in restraint. That's was that."

"You broke his jaw, shattered his cheekbones and nearly half his ribs."

"I didn't know. I wasn't keeping check. I'm not… prone to such outbursts. He just pissed me off!" Akira admitted, crossing her arms on her chest.

Being up close to that man, the root of her problems this past week, his stench, the sound of his voice. The way he described the people he captured as "items", "merchandise" and "products". It sickened her so. She made him bleed just to make sure he was human, but even then, the sight of his blood on her hands and on the wall behind him, didn't persuade her. To think he had been able to walk away unscathed from his past dealings with the authorities.

"You're not a bad person, Yamaguchi. I can tell… But if you keep this up..." Aizawa shook his head. He could tell something was amiss. There was more to this, her anger towards that crime lord. There was footage to prove it.

"Well, let's see it this way. If your authorities, your heroes," she scoffed, "were as competent, determined and good at what they do as they portray themselves, we wouldn't be doing this. If you haven't failed so spectacularly, the universe," she chuckled darkly this time, "wouldn't have brought me here to deal with this. Hence, this is your fault, well, rather the fault of everyone with Hero sticking out of their names like the Mc in Mcdonalds."

"You hate us." Aizawa finally spoke out. Akira sighed dejectedly.

"No, I don't. Hate entails the need to destroy the object of your resentment. I didn't beat up a hero. I beat up a criminal. What I am, Aizawa-san, is..." She couldn't say the words, but she knew what it was.

 _Disappointed. Disillusioned._

She paused, and poured herself a glass of water. She took a drink, feeling the cool liquid down her throat. She wasn't the type to be so angry, but this man, this hero, was poking on places she really didn't like. There was a storm within her, and she needed to calm it down.

It wasn't her. It wasn't her at all. Akira took a deep breath and spoke again.

"I understand the conditions of my probationary status. Now, that I am enrolling in this-this school of yours, I'd rather focus on the next step after today."

He nodded in understanding. This time Aizawa saw her pick at her hands once more. Her standoffish demeanor seemed to have washed away.

"I'm sorry. I was angry… You've helped me out. I shouldn't have been rude," she regretfully said.

"I did tell you to be honest. There's no need to be sorry. It's good that we got that out. Know this, we won't fail you in U.A. I know you don't trust us as well. I am a stranger to you, but you can trust your uncle. I know he wants the best for you." The tall man assured her.

He held out his hand to her, a sign of peace. Aizawa knew he didn't have to do it, but she looked like she had been fighting all her life. Maybe this time, she didn't have to.

Akira reluctantly shook it.

"I'll see you in class tomorrow," he said. Akira's eyes widened.

"What do you mean? I knew you were gonna be watching me in U.A, you didn't say anything about you working there," Akira whined. Then she remembered. She did

"It's your Quirk. It can easily control a psionic." She sighed.

"Also, it would keep any sort of favoritism out of the equation. Keep things objective," Aizawa said. They heard the other two heroes approaching. It was hard to miss, with the human bullhorn there with her uncle.

"Come on, Kan! Party this Saturday night. Got drinks, dancing, music." Akira heard the DJ whisper, rather he tried, since he wasn't exactly discreet.

"Maybe you'll get some loving, Kan!"

"Shush, you! There are little ears in the house, you parrot." Her uncle cautioned.

In front of her, Aizawa rolled his eyes at his friends, so did Akira.

"We can hear you both, and I'm fifteen, if anyone's asking. I completely understand whatever it is you're-uhh-talking about."

"How can you possibly know what we're talking about?" Her uncle asked her.

Akira stood up, taking the glass of water with her and spoke.

"I had a girlfriend."

She walked out of there and the three adults said nothing for a few seconds.

"Well, that answers your question," the raven-haired man mumbled. Yamada chuckled behind them. Her uncle sighed.

 _Kids these days…_

* * *

"Today is...uhhh… not that good… but, ya know, not that bad as well." She began to speak but took a long breath. A USB microphone was propped up in front of her computer desk whilst she sat. Her voice, faintly trembling, slowly steadied.

"This new start is, to put it mildly, a great experiment. I will now know what it feels to be the rat in the maze. The dissected frog. It hella scares and intrigues me. Is that wrong? I don't know. Should I worry? Fuckin' always."

"I know no one's gonna hear this. But I never liked the aspiration of becoming a hero. The danger. The media. I always thought it wasn't for me, but a lot of people were telling me I should do it. Dad. Mom. Uncle. They all did. A long time ago anyway."

"I didn't like it before. Now, I might become one. We always thought we got things figured out, ya know. Guess I never did."

"Also, I'll be honest, I really didn't know what to do after Junior High." she chuckled shamefully. She scratched her cheek.

"I have no idea. I think I was high on sugar the whole time in Career Day or something," she admitted.

"Maybe...just maybe, I'll find it here. Maybe, I'm being shoehorned to the right place." She said with hope. It was foreign and strange, hope, and it scared her more than a crime syndicate. More than a villain. More than the sound of judgment in a courtroom.

"If becoming a hero can help me find the answers to my nightmares… then I'll better do my best. No one can do this but me. No one."

 _No one._

* * *

 **Author's note:**

Ask questions. Comment. React. I am happy to talk to readers. Also, planning to blog about this as I write or, heck, I might even make a Podcast about my adventures into the fanfiction world. The future is open and untold.

Possible PAIRINGS WITH MY OC ('COZ ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE & only four people could fit the settings. Not in any order. The OC hasn't met some of these. Just telling you guys a little bit of my plan.)

\- Bakugo Katsuki

\- Yaoyorozu Momo

\- Todoroki Shoto

\- Kirishima Eijirou

\- Iida Tenya

\- Tokoyami Fumikage

\- Shinso Hitoshi

\- Shigaraki Tomura

\- Dabi


	2. Chapter II: First Comes the Spark

Chapter II: First Comes the Spark

The mind never slept, and so with this truth, neither did a psionic.

Insomnia was always lurking in Akira's nights. She was a true night owl, always the last to turn in and the first one to wake up. Restless. Constantly awake.

Akira used to force herself to sleep. It ended up with her just tossing, turning and occasionally staring holes into the ceiling. It was good. She didn't have to see anything her mind had conjured up. There were things there she would rather not see, rather not meet.

She had been lucky a few times when her dreams were vague and forgotten the moment she opened her eyes. Tonight wasn't so fortunate, as she found herself facing a familiar night terror.

Her mind's eye had conjured the same repeating nightmare, one that has been causing her nightly ills for more than three years. A dark, cold, and empty highway. A little girl without a face dressed in black, with her mouth gaping wide open, and the inhuman screech that always came out of it. She had awoken at four in the morning, gasping for air, riddled with sweat and a few tears had fallen from her eyes.

"Just let me sleep, will you?" She sobbed into her hands, "I-I promised you already, didn't I?"

When she had finally calmed herself down and wiped away her tears, she activated her console, and started to play Psycho Break 2. Playing games at least kept her mind from the nightmares, and kept her awake until she was either bored or tired enough for another restless, dreamless sleep. Right now, she couldn't even go back and lie down. It was too close to her typical wake-up call.

While the game loaded, she took out her documents and books for her new beginning in U.A.

Checking her class schedule, she found out that after the morning homeroom period would be Mathematics, her on-and-off immortal arch-nemesis, and the torrid forbidden love affair about numbers and finding their Xs. It was followed by English, Yamada-sensei's class.

 _Why can't we just have recess after homeroom?_ She thought dejectedly. _Recess as a subject._ She would fight for it.

She was diligent in her studies. It never came as a surprise that she wanted to learn as much, to know as much as she could. If her mind could never rest, then it might as well work.

When her uncle woke up, she was already in the dining area. She was freshly-bathed, her hair, blow-dried, smelled of vanilla and lavender, and she was in her U.A uniform, with a few changes. An opportunity she grabbed when her uncle had told her that it was allowed.

Akira never understood neckties. _Let's put this weird thing on your neck. It might strangle you a bit, but it looks good._ It gave anyone the permission to manually strangle her. She switched it to a thin red silk ribbon with a stretchable neck strap hidden under her collar. Under her skirt was a pair of sheer black tights, which she used to wear while working part time in her cousin's coffee shop. It was breathable, and it didn't make her feel like the Dead Sea was rising out of her legs in the heat. Lastly, the typical school shoes were uncomfortable and slippery, so she chose her favorite brown ankle boots.

"You're lookin' sharp," He said, still a bit groggy but nothing could dampen Vlad King's mood. He ruffled her hair, and she bared her teeth at him. It only made the man chuckle.

"It took me a long time to fix my hair, you cow!" She hissed as she patted her hair down.

"By the way, coffee's ready," she said and on cue, a low beep came out of the machine in the kitchen.

"Uhh, thanks… Ummm, how long have you been awake?" He asked her.

"I don't sleep much," she admitted.

"Alright, that's not actually a healthy habit," He told her as he took a mug and poured some of the liquid itself. The second he tasted the new brew, he blinked rapidly and gulped it down as quick as lightning.

"This is strong stuff!" He exclaimed.

"Yeah, that's the coffee I BOUGHT. Not the compost pit I drank yesterday. Don't worry I didn't throw them away. In case you ever want to… reminisce on bad decisions."

"Hey! I'm okay with that brew. I do admit this is better. Never knew what to look for in coffee."

She waited for about an hour before her uncle was done preparing, now in his Hero costume. Akira smiled a bit remembering when her uncle was still starting out as a new hero. The memory was blurry yet she felt a familiar feeling of delight. Her uncle noticed her smile.

"You'll get your own eventually. I already gave your design to the Support department. They're working on it," he assured her.

When they got into his car, it was nothing but silence. It was the best thing she could ever have at that moment. With _Black Horse and The Cherry Tree_ playing from her wireless headphones, she sat at the back trying to calm her nerves. There was about a thousand songs in her phone, and putting it on shuffle was another form of Russian Roulette.

Musutafu had changed.

It's amazing what a few passing years could do to a place. Or a person. Nine years was a long time and in every second of reminiscence to those nine years, felt like a lifetime for Akira, what she was, a separate entity. She was a child after all when she left.

Now, the memories were stronger, more persistent. Every old building and structure had a snapshot, a glimmer of a memory, flashing briefly behind her eyes. The new places were grooves to be felt, to be explored. The whole city was buzzing with life. People were beginning their day. Shopkeepers were opening their stores. Students were making their way to their futures.

Back in Akita, she took walks to school. For fifteen minutes, she gave herself some tranquility. Her father used to offer her a ride in his conspicuous car. As much as she liked the comfort of transportation, she was not a fan of her father's flaunting. She refused his offer every time. It always ended up with her leaving her house before her father was even done eating his breakfast. At barely thirteen, she ultimately left home. She wasn't surprised.

"Hey, I know I wasn't there for you for a really long time. You know, you can trust us a bit," her uncle said. Akita stayed quiet and looked outside. Her uncle sighed.

"When I told you a long time ago that you have the makings of a hero, I meant that… and I still believe that. You're gonna do great here. I know it," he told her.

By the time, the car ride ended, she was in front of a large H-shaped building made almost entirely of glass and steel. The sunlight glinted in a myriad of yellows and whites all over it. The sight nearly blinded her. The jitters within her chest and her stomach grew stronger. There were no butterflies, just hungry hornets with razor blades for wings.

"You can do this, you anxious shit... " She whispered to herself.

Yes, she could do this. She has survived the whole smorgasbord of debauchery that is Junior High, danced the La Cucaracha of academics and fought a crime syndicate.

Got arrested. Got probation.

Got a GPS tracker.

Got a GPS tracker...

 _I'm doing my best, okay…_ She sweatdropped.

"We're going to meet the principal. He's really happy you accepted his offer. You're gonna like it here, Aki," her uncle said to her. She replied with a wry smile.

After a series of corridors and hallways, they ended up in front of the Principal's Office. Akira wasn't a delinquent, but the sight of this door reminded her of her own trips to the Office. She winced at the memories.

"You okay?" Vlad King asked her.

"Never better," she replied with meek smile.

A peculiar sight greeted Akira as she opened the door, a creature in a suit with a scar on its right eye. It looked to be a cross between a seal and a mouse, and stood about three feet off the ground. She could sense strong curiosity and mind. This creature is not to be messed with.

"Ahh, good morning Vlad King, and this must be Miss Yamaguchi. It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you," the creature with a man's sing-song voice greeted them.

She bowed. "Vlad King said that you were the one to approve of my admission here in U.A. Thank you, sir."

"There's no need to thank me. You still have a lot to prove, Miss Yamaguchi. It's time we finally talked."

Akira gulped. She was in this now, isn't she? A pep talk would be nothing.

* * *

"I'm telling you, Bakugou! There's a twenty-first chair!" A boy with spiky-red hair roared at his sand-haired friend.

"What the fuck are you talking about, shit-hair?" Bakugou said as he walked with his classmate.

Bakugou slid the huge door open and found a small gathering at the back of his classroom, even freaking Deku was in it. It annoyed him a lot. They were currently congregating a few chairs away from him. Should he just blow something up? Or someone? Deku? Then he heard a few words.

"New student? Can't be… There's supposed to be only twenty of us."

"A hero sitting in? That would be so cool!"

"It's rare but there had been instances…"

The once neat five-by-four seat arrangement now had an anomaly. Indeed, there was a single chair sticking out at the back of his own row.

 _Don't know. Don't care._ Bakugou thought.

 _So a new person, huh?_ Bakugou also thought.

The blond boy growled. Whoever it was, they better not get in his way.

"HEY! SHUT THE FUCK UP WOULD YA?!" He shouted at them.

"Bakugou-san! Language!" Four-eyes exclaimed at him and hand-chopped the air.

"Eh? Bakugou, aren't you curious?" Kaminari, the golden-haired human Pikachu, asked with a grin. He sneered at the boy, but the latter merely laughed. It baffled and irritated him how Kaminari was not afraid him. Bravery or just plain stupid? He voted for the latter.

Of the new chair in class, he was indeed curious but he wouldn't tell Kaminari that. Whoever it was a hero or a student? They wouldn't matter. The path to being the Number One hero belonged to him, and fuck anyone who would get in his way.

Meanwhile, Akira winced at the cold water as she splashed some on her face. The moment she went out of the Principal's office, she searched for a quiet deserted place, and settled for a girl's comfort room.

She wiped away the wetness on her face, then her head snapped up as she felt an approaching presence outside the door. Akira could hear muffled voices. The door opened to two students, a pink-haired girl and a walking… uniform. She shouldn't be surprised with her living in the world she is in right now, but that Quirk made her do a double-take.

It looked handy. If anyone bothered her, she would just get naked and run away. No one would be the wiser.

"Mina-chan, do you think there's gonna be a new student in Class 1-A?" The invisible girl spoke.

"That's gonna be so fun! I hope it's a girl. There's so few of us," exclaimed the pink girl as she fixed her hair and tie.

"Excuse me, are you from Class 1-A?" Akira asked them, putting her hands under running water. She remembered that was the class number on her schedule.

"Yep!" The invisible girl clapped her hands.

"Can you show me where it is? I need to-uhh-go there. It's my class," Akira told them.

"So it's you! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" The pink girl started rapidly waving her hands around her.

"Okay, are you alright, miss?" Akira asked, and heard the sounds of rapid camera snaps behind her. She turned and found the invisible girl aiming her phone at Akira.

"I'm gonna tell everyone!"

"N-no, no. You don't have to do that," Akira begged. _Please, really, don't._

It was too late. The girl pressed the send button, and several phones in a classroom nearby beeped and vibrated.

"Huh? Hagakure messaged." Kaminari said.

WE HAVE A NEW CLASSMATE. IT'S A GIRL! GOT A PICTURE OF HER!

Below the visually loud with all caps message, were multiple images taken in what looked to be the restroom, of a girl with wavy dark plum hair and teal bangs. She was easy on the eyes and there was calmness on her face. The next few images, he didn't know how Hagakure could take so many in a matter of seconds, were of the girl reacting to the camera. Her dark gold eyes were wide in shock. He chuckled.

Kaminari already wanted to meet her. She would have one hell of time in Class 1-A.

 _Wait 'til she meets everyone._ He grinned. _Wait 'til she meets Bakugou._ Now that would be one hell of an interaction.

Akira walked towards her classroom with the two girls in tow. One was prattling about how Akira would like their classmates, even the troublesome one named Bakugou. How weird their adviser was.

"Wait? Aizawa-sa-sensei walks around in a sleeping bag?"

"Yeah! He came bounding in in that yellow sleeping bag. He looked like a caterpillar," the pink girl named Mina Ashido told her. "That must weird you out."

 _No. That's good material right there, hun._ Akira thought.

"Tell me more," she said to both with a smirk.

They arrive in front of a huge door with an equally huge 1-A label on it. Mina slid the door open while Akira was too busy gawking. They could hear the noise from inside, but when Akira walked in, a hush fell inside the classroom.

 _Please, just let me sit down._

"Good morning, my name is Iida Tenya. I'm from Somei Private Academy," a bespectacled tall boy approached her and introduced himself as Akira dodged a sudden hand-chop from him. Now, everyone was staring at them.

 _I'm sorry I'm late. I got arrested._

"Good morning to you, too. Do you guys have an unused chair? Or do I have to get one?" She asked no one in particular.

"We actually have an extra here," a tall girl with spiky hair in ponytail pointed at a chair behind her.

"Oh… okay then." She put her bag down under her desk, her All Might and Midnight Funko Pop keychains clanked as she set it down on the floor. Akira looked up to find nearly half the class looking at her.

"Umm, Hi. My name-uhh-is Yamaguchi Akira. Nice to… nice to finally meet you all." She tried not to stutter, but failed miserably.

The door slid open and Aizawa, Pro-Hero now her sensei, hopped inside in a yellow sleeping bag.

It was real. Slenderman's second cousin, The Burrito Man, existed, and no one could tell her otherwise.

"Settle down. Class is starting," he drawled. He still looked like the personification of a Monday morning sans coffee. _Just let the poor man sleep._ She thought. Aizawa eyed her with his bloodshot gaze.

"We've got a new student, and I have All Might's reports on your performance yesterday."

 _Wait, All Might? All Might is here._

 _All Might is here… here…. here._ For some unknown reason, her thoughts took on a reverb, and started bouncing around her head. She shivered with glee.

Just when she thought she was out of the spotlight, the tall boy with glasses who introduced himself as Iida Tenya raised his hand.

"Aizawa-sensei, U.A is known for its accuracy and excellence. Please explain why there is a transferee two days after start of classes and why exceed the number of people in the hero course. This is truly unheard of before," Iida Tenya spoke out, flinging his hand around.

Certain words from a principal rang out in Akira's head.

 _Until further notice, your situation must be top secret. No one can know the circumstance of your admission in U.A._

"You can ask her that later. Right now, we have class," he answered, and Iida sat down.

"First, your activities yesterday in Ground Beta. I want to say… Midoriya, you broke your arm again. Is that always going to be your thing? I know you're still struggling with your Quirk, but step it up a little," he scolded.

"Y-yes, sir!" A green-haired boy a few chairs in front spoke up.

"Bakugou, you've got a lot of potential. Don't waste it."

"I know," a voice growled up front as well. _What's with this course?_

He proceeded to call out a lot of people's mistakes and the things they had to improve. Teamwork. Initiative. Prudence. Technique, so on and so forth. It seemed a lot has happened even after only two days of school.

Akira cracked and popped her knuckles. When she bent down to get a pen and notebook, her phone vibrated in her pocket. She carefully fished it out and hid it under table. A message notification had appeared.

 **it's me yuki. got this number from ken says you left atlas where are you? please reply.**

 _Atlas_ was her cousin's space-themed coffee shop, which she worked in while she lived away from her parents. Ken was a kind and understanding older cousin who gave her a place to stay and, she actually enjoyed working with him. Also, she made sure no one ever tried to rob the coffee shop ever again. It was a win-win.

She wanted to reply but a text message seemed inappropriate for her… friend. Or whatever she is to Akira now. _Why is she looking for me? Is something wrong?_ More questions and no answers. It gave her a headache.

"Yamaguchi, you still with us?" Aizawa drawled.

"Y-yes, yes, I am," she answered.

"Like I said, the test in Ground Beta was a first. More will come and you all have to be ready to improve and get better. That's all. Do your pending homework. I don't care. Just don't make too much noise. Lemme sleep." The man zipped his lemon-colored sleeping bag then slunk down sluggishly against the wall.

Akira blinked a few times at her slumbering Pro-Hero teacher. After making sure he wasn't going to rise up and aggressively do the worm in class, she excused herself to the restroom.

"Hey, it's me," she spoke to her phone.

"My Gosh! It's been awhile, Aki. How are you? Ken says you left town for school. Where exactly? I could pay you a visit," Yuki's voice answered with glee.

"I'm in Musutafu, Yuki," Akira said as she drummed her fingers on the wall.

"Really? You're back in that place? You didn't tell me you left. I was worried. You always tell me these stuff, ya know. You just left without telling."

"Sorry, there was a sudden change of plans." _Sudden derailment of life, I mean._

"Hmm? It's not like you to do things without planning for it. So... where are you studying?" Yuki was giddy. Akira couldn't help but smile a bit.

"I-I'm… I'm in U.A. In the Hero course."

There was a moment's pause.

"WHAT?! How did that happen? You told me you didn't have plans to become a hero. How are you in U.A? I remember you didn't take the admissions test 'cause you didn't think it worth your while," Yuki screeched. Akira had to snap her head away from her phone.

"Things changed. Dad pulled a few strings." She didn't like lying to Yuki, but she didn't have a choice.

"Really?... Seems you really can't run from the family, huh? So if you're not living with your cousin.

Who are you living with? Are you living by yourself?"

"I'm living with my uncle now."

"Huh? Which one?"

"The Pro-Hero on my mother's side."

Yuki gasped on the other line. "Really? I thought you haven't talked to him in years. Must be weird having to live with an estranged relative. You aren't one for strangers."

"Yeah, w-well, we had time to catch up. He's a nice guy."

"So… This is a big change. You're going to become a hero. You know what… I'm actually very proud right now. When you become a hero, I'll be your No.1 Fan. I'll make t-shirts & mugs. You can count on that. I could make pins, too," Yuki ranted.

Akira chuckled. _Always the optimist..._

"Yeah… I need to go. Class is about to start."

"Okay, Aki. I'll text you when I'm coming to visit. Bye."

"Bye."

She stepped out of the restroom and went out to go back to class, but was met by a two-colored gaze. A boy with perfectly parted red and white hair, stood in front of her, hands in his pocket. It seemed he had just went out of mens' room. Their eyes met, then she spoke.

"Hey, I'm Yamaguchi Aki-"

"I know. I'm Todoroki Shouto," he said, and he just stood there, looking at her.

Her eye twitched at him. _Boy, don't glitch out on me._ She didn't know how to reboot people.

"Can I help you with something?" She shifted on her feet, as she asked him.

"Help me with what?"

"I don't know… Math? I'm no expert. I'm kinda good," she told him. _Help me, Lord of Conversations._

"So… your father pulled some strings?" He queried, his brows furrowed.

 _Ah, shit._ "No, I lied to…" She looked at the phone still clutched on her hand. The boy understood and seemed to believe her.

"Why are you here, then?" He asked, his bi-colored gaze focusing on her.

Akira sighed and started walking away from him.

"'Cause I'm a shitty person," she replied, and made her way back to class.

* * *

Mathematics with Ectoplasm turned out to be an ASMR session. With the teacher's deep robotic voice and the subject matter, it wasn't that hard. Halfway through the class, Akira was already dreaming with her eyes open.

It was then followed by English Language with the human bullhorn, Present Mic, who either whistled, screamed his glee or beat-boxed every time someone raised their hand.

Akira decided she needed a break, a time to sit down, listen to some tunes, eat chips or maybe cry a little. Everybody celebrated when lunch time came.

Recess never felt so good. Now, she was currently in line to buy some pasta, a plate full of it, and her favorite lime soda. A tap on her shoulder made her turn around, and was met by gleeful red eyes that took her breath away. There was a buzzing in her ear that was gone before she could comprehend what it was.

"Hey, the name's Kirishima Eijirou. You can come sit with me and my friends. He pointed at a table beside Mina and her friends. Three boys sat around and ate their lunches as they talked: a golden haired boy who winked at her when she looked at them, a black-haired boy with peculiar elbows and a scowling red-eyed ash-blond demon.

Kirishima noticed her apprehension, and patted her shoulder. "It's gonna be fine. They're nice guys. You'll see. Bakugou's grumpy, but he means no harm," he said.

"Alright, that's fine," Akira said to him and the boy gave her the brightest grin. For a few seconds, nothing ever mattered, just those few seconds of him smiling at her. There was something at the tip of her tongue. She shook her head.

"Hello, what can I get you?" One of the helpers asked.

"That pasta. A whole plate. Please don't be modest with the sauce."

"Got it!"

"And a lime soda, please," she said with a faint smile. She waited for Kirishima to get his food and with her tray, she walked over to his friends.

"Guys, this is Yamaguchi Akira. She's going to sit with us today. Isn't it great?" Kirishima said to his friends, everyone but the scowling blond boy smiled at her.

"The name's Hanta Sero," the black-haired boy with a wide awkward smile introduced himself.

"I'm Kaminari Denki, and by the way… Did it hurt?" The golden boy said.

"Did what hurt?" Akira asked him, missing Hanta's rolling eyes and the blond boy's sneer.

"When you fell from heaven?" Kaminari continued. Akira blinked at him.

"No. A fall from that height would kill you instantly," she answered as she took her seat beside Kaminari.

Hanta and Kirishima laughed. "Boy, she killed you," the red-haired boy said in between laughter.

A loud thump on the table ceased their merrymaking. It was Bakugou's fist, and he was angry… well, angrier.

"You…" He sneered at her, "you must be fucking special if they allowed you to get in this late."

"Honestly, I wouldn't know," she replied to him. She took a forkful of pasta and shove it in her mouth. She really had no idea. Sure, her Quirk was good but there were others out there with a cleaner record. What did Aizawa and the Principal see that made them put her here?

"Anyway, what's your Quirk?" Kirishima cut the tension, not wanting his friend and the new student to actually start fighting. Yamaguchi didn't look like a fighter, but he'd rather not put that to the test. Not in the cafeteria anyway.

"It's called Psionic Energy. The term is… broad in meaning. The doctors in Quirk Testing called it the Brilliance Aura… like, you know, from the game," She opened her hand and a glowing globule of energy came out.

It reminded Kirishima of the blobs floating around in lava lamps. _Was it oil in those things?_ Except these things were translucent and glowed in golden light, like liquid fireflies.

"To put it simply, I have energy I can use to control and manipulate other things at will," she said. The three boy nodded with awe at her while the blond boy's eye twitch.

"Hah! That's fucking weak compared to my Quirk!" He bellowed.

"Hey, man. Don't be like that," whined Denki who just wanted to talk to the nice girl and eat his burger.

Akira looked at the sneering boy, and deadpanned, "Your opinion is irrelevant," and slurped more pasta into her mouth. "This is good pasta," she complimented the food while nodding her head. The sauce was perfectly sweet. The meat was well sauteed with the spices. Conclusion: Lunch Rush was God.

Bakugou rose up, nostrils flared and teeth bared. "What the fuck did you say?!" He roared.

Kirishima got to his feet, and held back his roaring lion of a friend whose palms were currently letting out explosions.

"What the fuck did you just say to me?!" The blond roared louder.

Akira didn't seem fazed and continued eating her lunch.

"I said this is good pasta," she answered. It truly was. _What's his problem?_

The boy growled and thrashed. His face was red with rage, and smoke was coming out of his… orifices.

"He doesn't look so fine. Can someone tranquilize him or something?" She asked Hanta, who chuckled nervously at her.

"He's always like that. Midoriya got the worst of it," he said.

"Midoriya? The green haired kid?" Akira asked.

"Yeah! How'd you know?" He exclaimed. Akira blinked at him. _Green in Japanese is-_

"Don't you dare fucking ignore me, you little shit!"

"Bakugou-kun! That is not the proper way to treat your classmates!" A familiar voice said a few tables away. It was Iida-san again waving his arms and chastising the raging male.

"Mind your own business, four-eyes!"

The bell rang ending their lunch time. Akira cleaned up, and was about to leave.

"I'm not fucking done yet," he hissed.

"Unfortunately, I am... " She replied, "thanks for letting me sit with you guys." She looked at Kirishima.

"Uhh, yeah. Sorry about the trouble and all," Kirishima apologized.

She shook her head at him. "It's nothing."

"Hey!" The blond called out.

 _Can't he just leave things be?_

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and instinct flooded her senses. She flinched, her shoulders taut.

Bakugou kept his hand on her, sneering and ready for a fight. She turned her head and their eyes met. Akira's golden eyes had changed. It glowed faintly but with an ardor meant as a warning. For a few seconds, the sensation reminded him of the Sludge incident, when he was caught within that villain's body of slime. The suffocation. The fear. For a few moments, her eyes held the same promise of pain. He stood there with a slight tremble, but he gulped it down and remained in his position with his lip curled.

"Get your filthy hand off me," she hissed angrily. With merely a thought, she formed a glowing cuff around his offending wrist and it whipped his whole arm away from her, staggering the blond teen. Akira then walked away from the cafeteria and back to class.

The cuff on his wrist had vanished, and it left a faint reddish mark that irked Bakugou. She was surprising, he gave her that, but the look on her face, the aura she emitted, was something else entirely.

"Woah… For a moment there, I thought she was gonna kill you," the red-haired boy whispered at them.

Unbeknownst to them, so did Bakugou.

* * *

 _You've done it now, you freak._ Her thoughts screeched at her. She did not mean to do that to Bakugou. She sighed. The boy was a boiling cauldron of problems, but even her outburst had surprised her.

"Get yourself together."

There were no disturbances from Bakugou, and the little incident didn't stop most of the students from introducing themselves to her, and by then she already knew everyone in class and their Quirks.

"You're telling me red velvet cupcake over there is Half-Hot and Half-Cold?" She whispered to Momo who sat right in front of her. Todoroki was in front of class answering questions on the board with other classmates.

"Huh? Y-yeah," Momo answered and raised her eyebrow at her new friend's choice of nicknames.

Akira was intrigued. There was girl who could control gravity, Iida-san could go _nyoom,_ Momo could create things from her skin, and Mina was the Alien Queen in pink.

"Red velvet cupcake, huh?" A voice said out of nowhere, making Akira gasp. Hagakure was right beside her giggling. _How did she get there?_

"I'm sorry! But _I am_ in invisible, you know," she said in between laughter.

"You nearly made me crap myself," Akira said, clutching her chest. _I should put a bell on her._

"So that nickname... I'm not surprised. He is delici-"

"Hey! It's just that-he-umm-looks like red velvet cupcake. Just look at him," Akira explained.

 _Why you gotta make this weird?_

"Reallyyyy…." Hagakure insinuated.

"Yeah, well, how's lover boy with tail over there?" She glanced at a certain blonde boy.

"Umm-no-no-he's-he's just a friend!" The invisible girl frantically flapped her hands. Akira was afraid she would actually start flying. She noticed the two had been talking and laughing together. Ojiro was a kind boy, and would blush every time Hagakure would give him a pat on his shoulder or laugh at his jokes.

"Careful now, with that blush, I might be able to see you," she teased Hagakure, making Momo chuckle.

"Awwwww! Akira-chan, be nice," she whined.

"I'm just kidding," she said with a faint smile and covered herself from the invisible girl's flailing arms.

"Alright, class! Take your seat. The best way for you to get better at literature is read. There is no shortcut, and of course, if you have difficulties, the internet exists," he said.

Cementoss dismissed them after giving them some light homework. She would have to put down the gamepad for tonight.

"Ya know, what would happen if I feed Cementoss-sensei a load of white sugar?" She asked herself. Momo heard her and gave her a tight smile.

"That's a bad idea," Momo told her.

"Just a thought, just a thought," Akira chuckled.

She fished out her phone, and texted her uncle.

 **Goin to the library after class. What time are we going home?**

 **Wont take long. Just wait an hour or two after class.**

 **Fine, okay.**

"Are you going home after class, Akira-chan? Kirishima and I are going to the arcade. Do you want to go with us?" Kaminari asked.

"Well, I have to wait for my uncle. He's picking me up. I'm going to the library for now," she told him as she tidied up her things. _Wait, did he just call me-_

"Aww, that's too bad, Akira-chan." _Ahh, he did._ She chuckled. Kaminari had some guts.

"I think this Saturday's fine. I'll have to ask permission," she told.

"That's great!" Kaminari turned to Kirishima and gave him a thumbs-up and the latter beamed.

Bakugou's eyes rolled back into his head. _How the fuck did that happen?_

Jirou Kyouka nearly fainted. _The dumbass nearly got himself a date._

Akira took a piece of paper from her notebook and wrote her number down. She would have to ask everyone in class but for now, Kaminari and Kirishima would do.

"That's my number," she said as she gave him the paper, "call me this weekend."

"Yeah, sure. I'll call you, babe," Kaminari flirted, but Akira rolled her eyes at him.

"No, don't-don't call me that," she stammered, earning a chuckle from Kirishima and the others.

After the goodbyes were exchanged, Akira had left for the library to look for something to keep her occupied. As she walked through the hallways, her phone began to vibrate… for a very long time.

Akira didn't have a lot of people in her phone. She didn't like to waste the time and phone storage for a lot of people who would one day become strangers to her. Giving Kaminari her number had been an odd decision, and she was now starting to regret it.

 _You're gonna do great here._ Her uncle had said. Maybe this little thing deserved a chance.

She checked her phone.

 **Denki~licious has added you to Class 1-Awesome's group.**

It was followed by a long trail of messages greeting her. Kaminari's username made her grin.

 _This wasn't so bad._

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **1** _Psycho Break is actually_ _The Evil Within's name in Japan. It's an action-horror game by Bethesda & Tango. _

**2** _Her Quirk is similar to Scarlet Witch (MCU, not comics) & Psylocke (the Apocalypse movie version). _

There is an Official Playlist. Search for Project ULTRABRIGHT by riptide_bosmer. There are songs that I haven't mentioned in the story but you're free to listen to them.

 _No rocks and Pikachus were harmed in the making of this chapter. All the errors in this story are made with love and anxiety._

 _-HarbingersofWar_


	3. Chapter III: They Look To You Now

Chapter III: They Look To You Now

"Are we going to a strip club?" Akira asked. Her uncle choked, the car swerved and nearly hit a crossing pedestrian, and it ended up with her face pressed on the car window.

"Why the hell would you think that?!" The burly man exclaimed, and Akira huffed her frustration, rubbing her mildly sore face.

"You're being so secretive," she said, "well, trying to be secretive. You're very bad at it."

"And your first thought was a strip club?"

"Your reaction _was_ priceless," she jested.

"You keep that up, I'm gonna be needing a new heart," Vlad complained.

"So where are we going?" Akira asked, while looking at her phone.

"It's a surprise," Vlad said with a wolfish grin. Akira grumbled at him.

The suspense was not killing her at all. It was mildly dangerous, like a little child and a Kinder egg.

"Nevermind. I think I know what it is," she said.

Her uncle only smiled at her, his lower canines sticking out prominently.

"So," he began, "I heard something happened in the cafeteria this morning."

Her uncle had the subtlety of a drive-by shooting.

"It was Bakugou. He was talking shit and I did not let him," she replied.

"You could just walk away, you know."

"Or maybe…" She materialized a glowing axe on her hand and looked at the blade menacingly. "I could just…"

"Really?!" Her uncle exclaimed in horror. His eyes were on the overhead mirror.

"I'm just kidding! I'm just kidding! Geez!" Akira chuckled at him. Vlad shook his head at her.

"Don't joke like that."

"Who told you about the Bakugou thing?" She asked him. He peered at her again through the mirror.

"Aizawa did."

"That rotten caterpie," She growled, "if he didn't have such a fine ass-"

"Woah! Woah! Stop! Stop!"

"-ass sleeping bag I would have torn him a new one," she continued.

"Oh...O-Okay-I thought you were about to say…" He cleared his throat. "Never mind."

 _I'm too old for this shit._

They were quiet after that. Akira took her phone out. It had been bombarding her with dings since Kaminari had added her into their class group. What are they talking about now?

Another ding from her phone caught her attention, so she turned her status to online, and found the largest amount of waves and hellos from her class. If she ever attended a rock concert, the human wave would look like this.

 **DeezArabicaNuts** is now in the chatroom.

 **Denki~licious:** Akira-chan, why is your username **DeezArabicaNuts**? XD

 **DeezArabicaNuts:** i used to work in a coffee shop. I was a barista.

 **YaoMomo:** really? That's fantastic.

 **DeezArabicaNuts:** i studied and memorized the process of making a finest cup. I could do it with my eyes closed.

 **Pinky:** never took you for a coffee nut

 **DeezArabicaNuts:** never knew until i started working there. After a few months, I could make one hell of a macchiato. my own version

 **YaoMomo:** I'd want a taste of your own macchiato someday

 **DeezArabicaNuts:** sure why not

 **GrapeJuice:** i'd want to taste you ( ͡ ° ͜ ʖ ͡ ° )

 **Iida Tenya:** Mineta-kun, that is highly inappropriate.

 **DeezArabicaNuts:** you'll starve

 **InvisiGirl:** go girl!

 **Denki~licious:** hahaha

 **DeezArabicaNuts:** need to go guys

The car halted in front of a veterinary clinic, interrupting the Akira's roasting session. She kept her status " _invisible"_ just to watch the conversation. The group chat was currently one hell of a party, and Mineta was the class piñata.

She looked up to the clinic. "So you _do_ have a pet," she said to her uncle.

"How'd you know that?"

"You ran out of dog food… I saw the empty bag in the trash out back," she said to him.

Her uncle chuckled. "Ryu's a nice dog, but he gets a little bit aggressive when greeting someone new. You were moving in, so I left him here for the night. He might annoy the moving people too much," he told her.

"I don't mind dogs. I really like them in fact," she said to him.

"Ahh, then you'll get along with him."

They were met by a nice looking male doctor with glasses, which made Akira wish she was actually the dog being checked out with his adorable paw print stethoscope. Akira shook her head, and awkwardly smiled at the doctor.

 _Seems U.A's not the only thing super in this-_

"Aww, here he is!" Vlad exclaimed when one of the assistants brought a huge surly-looking bulldog.

Ryu wagged his tail. Her uncle looked happy. _Are those tears in his eyes?_ It was only for a day, she remembered. The scenario looked a bit like those Nicholas Sparks books.

"Ryu! Here, boy! Come here!" He called out and the bulldog bounded towards him, tongue-flapping in the air with excitement.

The dog, sensing someone else, tilted its head at Akira. He was almost as big and heavy as her. If she wanted to die, an over-excited dog would probably do the trick. She knelt down to meet Ryu's brown eyes and slowly put a hand on his snout. _No sudden movements, if you want to live._

His brown fur was soft and well-maintained, frequently bathed and groomed. Ryu smelled a bit of citrus from his shampoo. He gave her a soft whine as she scratched that part behind his ear. Unlike most bulldogs that grew fat and lethargic from their owners' "care", Ryu was a fit, muscular dog who could probably outrun and make a chew toy out of the typical burglar.

Akira slowly clipped the leash on his collar. "There now... please don't eat me. I'm full of carbs," she murmured with a wry smile.

"Aww, Ryu made a new friend," the nice doctor, who she forgot was still there, cooed.

After her uncle thanked the vet and they both left, Ryu and her took their seats at the back. Vlad smiled at them on his mirror and instructed Akira to open the window so the pooch could stick his head out. While the pooch was currently enjoying the wind on his face, his large posterior was the only view she could see from her side. She secretly gave it a few boops.

When they got home, Ryu jumped out into the house like the furry little lord he was. Her uncle took out his mat, doggie bowl and chew toys. She had never seen a man so in love with his pet, but that was her uncle. He looked like an angry man about to eat someone alive, but in truth, a huge teddy bear with an even bigger heart, and a ton of competitive spirit.

"Hey, why aren't you eating?" A voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

She was currently seated, having dinner, katsudon to be exact. How she got to the dinner table and now eating, she didn't know.

"Nothing. I was just thinking," she told him.

"You've been making friends?" He asked, before chowing down on a cutlet.

"Friends." She snorted. "I've only met them a few hours."

"Yeah, so? There should be someone you get along with? At least talks to you more than anyone else?"

"There are… a few."

"Oh?... Is it Bakugou? Or that green-haired kid Aizawa told me about?"

"My God, no! Not the Blond Bombshell!" She screeched, and her uncle's hands in front of him defensively.

"Easy there," he laughed, "I'm just saying you did talk to him, despite his reputation."

"He's a bully, and an asshole. How's he even in U.A? It's highly inappropriate," she fumed.

"Well, he ranked first in the exams, displaying very good instincts and combat prowess," he told her.

"Seriously?" Akira said with disbelief.

"Yes, seriously. You know, for someone who doesn't care for appearances, you made him into a villain very quickly," he scolded her and Akira glared at him.

"A little miscalculation, I admit, but you were talking about his skills…. It takes more than that to be a hero."

"Yeah, but that's not up to you, isn't it?" Vlad countered. This time, Akira bit her tongue and looked down on her barely-touched food.

"You… got a point there… he still pisses me off," she snarled. Her uncle shook his head at her.

When dinner was done and dirty dishes washed, Akira sat in front of the T.V just scanning around. Her favorite shows were on hiatus, so she couldn't really find anything good. She looked to her uncle and found him in the dining area, the table now covered in files.

At first, she thought it was school work and reports, like any faculty members should have, but in his hand, she saw what looked to be grisly photos of a police file. Now, she didn't know much about the teaching profession, but detailed photos of a murder isn't a part of the current curriculum, although she wished it was.

She snuck behind her pensive uncle and peeked over his shoulder, and she was right. It was a police case, an open one. She quietly read a few parts of the coroner report and police statements that weren't completely covered by other reports, since the files had taken the whole table.

"He made them bleed a lot, that's for sure."

"Hey! You're not supposed to see this!" He exclaimed, trying to shield them from her eyes. "These are top secret files. You can't just sneak up on me like that."

"Top secret?! Like that's gonna stop me. Just tell me what it's about. I promise I won't tell anyone about it," Akira insisted adamantly.

"These are not for your eyes. There are dead people in it… and body parts," he tried to dissuade her, but she shook her head.

"Not gonna change my mind," she told him.

He sighed at her stubbornness and slowly opened a folder and showed its contents to her and true enough, she didn't even flinch and only gazed on the wretched state of the photo's subjects.

"He's an animal, this Stain character," he said to her. Evil took many forms, he knew that. In his line of work, it was as natural as breathing air to encounter its many shapes and sizes. This was something else.

"I wouldn't say that," Akira spoke, as she checked the photos.

"He made them bleed a lot. If he wanted to kill them, he could have just them stabbed straight in the heart. He has the accuracy… Why?" She wondered aloud.

The more she saw the photos, the state of the victims, she saw that unlike the police's "opinions" of him as a deranged maniac just out to cut people up, it was the complete opposite for her. The slices on certain joints, ligaments and tendons showed skill and fine control. The killing blows were well placed. The blood was merely the aftermath of the process to get the final result: death.

She passed her uncle a picture of a hero, slumped down in an alleyway, arms bent unnaturally, his legs bleeding, and the autopsy picture of the same hero. His wounds were now clean, and the back of his knees were cut deeply, and one of his elbows was barely hanging off the meat of his arm from how brutal and precise the cut was.

"Something's on your mind?" Her uncle spoke up. "You're doing your thinking face."

"What face? It's only my face," she said. "Look, you guys all think this guy is just some crazy dude who wants to kill people and mess them up, but all I see is a guy who knows what he's doing and actually accomplishing his mission."

"What do you mean? He cut them up pretty badly. I could say the guys a beast."

"Anyone could cut up anyone if they put their mind to it," she said to him. "The way he hit these parts, these tendons, they were made to immobilize."

"Yeah, some of them were even pin to the ground by his weapon, like those frogs in dissection class."

"They couldn't move and yet… Did he torture them?"

"Well, getting cut up is torture-"

"No, I mean, did he ask for information from them?" She asked him fervently.

"The witnesses and the survivors said nothing about torture or being forced to answer any questions."

"There were survivors?" She asked, burrows furrowed. "I didn't expect this type of guy to leave survivors."

"Well, same. They got lucky. Someone witnessed what he was doing, ran away and left his target for dead or they survived their wounds."

"So not torture, not for information anyway. Systematic wounds and a quick death." She said to him. Her eyes narrowing on the wounds this… Stain inflicted upon his victims. "Reminds me a bit of the samurai, huh?"

"Samurai don't attack heroes," he told her with a raised eyebrow. _If they were still around._

"Hmm… Yeah. But they are not heroes to Stain," She said. "Goodnight, uncle." She stood and was about to go upstairs to her room.

"How do you know all this? The Internet?" He asked, a bit curious.

"You don't get to a crime lord by going house to house, uncle," she told him. "It's amazing what you learn in the streets."

He shook his head. _You've done this sniffing around before… haven't you?_

"Go to sleep. You've got a big day tomorrow. Aizawa says he's got something special for your class."

* * *

 _What fresh hell is this?_ Her mind hissed at the sight that greeted her.

There were media vans and their respective people congregating around the school like house-flies on a briefly neglected bento. The noise was causing her pain, making her want to bite on something inanimate and non-living.

 _An empty of can of beans? A dismembered arm? Her uncle's sense of humor? Anything._

"What in the world are they doing here?" She asked her uncle.

"Ah, crap. We're lucky it's early. A few more minutes we wouldn't be able to pass without being blocked by these folks," he said to her.

Aizawa and a few of the security were trying to keep them away from the gates, allowing some space for student and employees to go to their place of work.

Akira hated the media. She always imagined them as a horde of pelicans, but instead of fish or some unfortunate soul's burrito hanging out of their gigantic bills, it was a shovel and an alien probe. ALWAYS ready to dig out the truth or some fecal matter they found (if they could even tell the difference), like any reporter should. The probe was for when they screw everyone in the ass with it.

She and her uncle stepped out of the car, ready to part the evil sea in which they have to tread upon in front of them. A few of the sharks immediately smelled their blood. Akira and her uncle found themselves under their scrutinizing gaze, and then approached them like the predators they are.

"Vlad King! Hey! Vlad King! Is it true that All Might is in U.A?!"

"What does he teach, Vlad King?"

"Is that girl your daughter?"

 _Dude._ She blinked at them. _He couldn't even get a date at my age._ The reporters eyed her, too and sensing their attention, Akira tensed. _Ahh, shit. Stranger danger! Stranger danger!_ Her uncle, thank goodness, pushed on forward and blocked the folks from getting to her. She couldn't help but hear the questions and inwardly answer them for fun.

"Is it true that All Might is one of the faculty?" _His class broke Midoriya's arm._

"What does he teach?" _Extreme Yodelling._

"Miss, how are you related to Vlad King?" _20% uncle. 80% Second mother._

"Are you Vlad King's love child?" _How high are you?_

One of them, a woman, had the audacity to block her path and point a mic to her face.

"Tell us about All Might?!" She exclaimed fervently at Akira.

"I don't know. I don't even go here," she spoke.

Then, Akira entered the barrier, leaving the woman baffled.

She let out a sigh of relief when they finally got away. Akira saw her uncle shake his head at the whole bedlam behind them.

"They must have heard about his teaching position here. We're going to have to tighten security if this keeps up. Go to your class, Aki. I'll see you later." They said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.

When she got to her room, thank goodness, there was less than half of the class in there. For someone who looked like the typical delinquent, Bakugou was punctual. Midoriya, and Iida were there, too. The boy with the crow head had his feet on the table, leaning back. _Tokoyami, was it?_ Todoroki was half-asleep, eyes unfocused on the book he was reading, but he briefly looked up and gave her a glance.

"Morning," she greeted them. Bakugou harrumphed and looked away from her. _He needs more pasta in his life, honestly,_ she thought.

"Good morning, Yamaguchi-san. I hope the media did not bother you a lot," Iida said to her, followed by a few arm movements.

"Well… it went well, in my opinion," she said to him. _No one got murdered._

She walked to her seat, and was about to put on her wireless headphones when a shadow casted over her. Akira looked up and found Midoriya with a notebook to his chest and a hopeful yet timid smile. His arm had covered the notebook's label and all she could read was:

 **HERO ANAL-**

 **FOR THE FU-**

 _Okay, that's definitely wrong._ She thought. The other side of her brain though was doing the fandango.

"H-Hello, my name is Midoriya Izuku. I'm-"

"The kid who broke his arm," she interrupted. "How the hell did that happen? You're not even wearing a cast. Do you have accelerated healing, too?"

"N-no, I don't have healing… my-my Quirk-"

"What kind of Quirk breaks your arm?" She asked Midoriya.

He didn't answer, and instead nervously looked around.

"So...Why are you here? Need my help with something?" Akira asked, and the green-haired boy handed her a notebook. Now she could see the whole label and actually understood it.

"It's my Hero Analysis for The Future. Can you tell m-me more about your Quirk?"

He opened his notebook and showed her a well-drawn version of herself in her uniform, her hands at her side, emitting golden will-o-wisps of energy. There were arrows and notes written beside her form.

 **Can she use her Quirk as a shield?**

 **She said she could shape it? What size? What shape? Animate? Inanimate?**

 **Psionic energy is both physical and mental strength. Must be tiring.**

 **Mind-reading? Can she do that?**

"Wow, you're very curious aren't you?" She breathed out. No one's ever been so interested on her Quirk, not one who actually asked.

"I'm s-sorry. I-I know it's a bit weird," he stammered, but Akira shook her head at him.

"No, there's nothing weird about this," she said to him. _Heaven knows, we need more people like him._

"Oh…" Midoriya beamed at her. His eager verdant eyes held wonders and questions just waiting to be heard.

 _Oh, boy. Oh, no._

Staring into Midoriya's eyes was like one of those scenes from a Slice of Life manga where you'd found the perfect Sakura tree to lean on and pledge your life upon as a dramatic wind blew past you. It was at this moment of introspection that Akira thought she would fight a dragon or eat tabasco sauce for someone else.

"Are you okay?" He asked her. There was a bit of worry in him.

 _No, I just saw 50% of my life flash before me._ "I'm fine," she said to him.

When the questions came, so did most of the students, but Midoriya seemed to not mind his surroundings. He just kept asking questions, as if a pocket dimension arose from around both of them and drowned out every sound, every movement.

"Can you read minds?"

"No, but I can tell when you're lying. I'm not even sure if it's from my Quirk," Akira answered him.

"That's still amazing… You said you can make things out of your energy, like how? How does that...feel?"

They were both leaning in close, Midoriya scribbling erratically on his notebook, while Akira paused from her Sudoku puzzle on her phone. They both didn't notice the eavesdroppers around them. Bakugou, however, was fuming. Not only did the two idiots babbled about their Quirks like they were in some romantic cafe, it seemed the little green runt had acquired a patron.

"Umm-well-uhh, it feels like molding Play-Doh, except you have to do it in your head and imagine it in your hand," she explained. She scratched her head. "I'm talking out of my ass here."

Midoriya shook his head. "I think I can imagine it."

"Deku… Can you fucking stop talking?" Bakugou seethed.

Akira sensed his irritation. "Bakugou, you don't have to-"

"Shut up, newbie! I ain't fucking talking to you!"

She abruptly stood up, and like instinct had overtaken, Iida had dashed right close to the three students, Todoroki had put down his book and his eyes now glued to them, and Tokoyami had put his foot down and was now standing as well.

"This is not appropriate for students of U.A! Bakugou, I suggest you sit back down and calm yourse-"

"Don't get in my way, Four-Eyes!"

"Kacchan… Please don't do-"

"Deku…" Bakugou growled and raised his hand to do what he did best: blow up things.

Midoriya braced himself from the impact, but the blow never came. His childhood friend was frozen mid-punch, and a look of confusion on his face. His whole body glowed in translucent yellowish-light.

"How can someone who's studying to become a Hero… find it so easy to raise his hand against others?" She asked him, her face blank with a hint of confusion. Her irises glowed fervently in iridescent gold. Her hand was stretched out and yellowish energy, flame-like and alive, danced on it.

Her eye twitched at the ash blond boy. With a wave of a hand, the will-o-wisps of energy vanished from her hand and the ones around Bakugou, and he was able to move once more.

"I hate bullies. I don't care if one them wants to be a hero. You put a nice suit on a mongrel. In the end… still a mongrel," she said as she crossed her arms.

"What the fuck did you say?!" Bakugou now found his voice.

"Oh, you heard me," she snapped back.

"Hey, hey, you two…" Midoriya tried to defuse the situation. It was like being sandwiched between an atomic bomb and a lightning storm.

"Yamaguchi-san, please calm down. Heroes shouldn't fight like this," Iida's voice whispered to her.

The bespectacled boy wanted to end the fight, and chose Akira to be the more level-headed between the two parties. He put his hand on her shoulder. To his surprise, the tension on her shoulders slowly washed away. _Thank goodness._ He didn't think he could take having to watch his two classmates brawl in the classroom. They were training to do good for pity's sake!

Akira gritted her teeth as she took deep, calming breaths and regained her composure. The anger had subsided for now. The stiffness on her muscles are all but nil.

"Sorry, Iida," she said as she softly put her hand on his, still on her shoulder. Iida, not expecting such a gesture from the same girl who scolded the class troublemaker, flushed red. She shyly smiled at him, and that did nothing to erase the blush on his face.

"Y-yes, it's-it's alright, Yamaguchi-san," he stuttered.

Akira put her hand down and sat back on her chair. Her apology to Iida, however, did not go unnoticed by Bakugou.

"You apologized to Four-Eyes and not me? You little shit!" He fumed.

"I do not apologize for asking a valid question, Bakugou," Akira quipped.

"You shitcoc-"

The sliding door opened. "Hey! Good morning…. guys?" Kirishima faltered in his greeting. _What the hell was happening?_ There was an electrifying tension in the air. It buzzed and gave Kirishima the shivers.

Bakugou glared at her, but she was steel (although she preferred tungsten, for it has the highest melting point amongst the elements, but it would sound less poetic in her head).

No intimidation has ever really worked on her. Taking away her consoles would probably work but Bakugou did not know that.

"We're not done yet," he hissed at her and went back to his seat, much to everyone's relief.

"Likewise."

* * *

When Aizawa rolled in, which he literally did with a juice box in hand, he felt dread, the way one would feel when a downpour was upon them. Something had happened, which was confirmed when their resident former vigilante was currently pouting and looked to be in a sour mood. A few seats in front of her, the class… explosive, wore the worst sneer he had seen so far.

 _Little problematic kids._ He could notice a few students gave off the same vibe of "please don't ask me, sir", with their anti-eye contact and looking somewhere else.

He had seen the brief squabble yesterday when he was merely passing by to get lunch from the cafeteria. Maybe he had some kind of foresight or sixth sense, but by the pricking of his thumbs, he found the two snarking at each other, mainly due to the fact that Bakugou _never_ got along with anyone, and Akira was the type not to listen to people and warning tags.

There were things about the two that stood out. Things that could either work for them or against them.

Bakugou was an A+ student with good grades, sharp instinct, and an All Might size chip on his shoulder. From their Quirk assessment to the Ground Beta exercise, he also showed great promise in his Quirk control and combat skills. Unfortunately, he also had a less than savory reputation of being a foul-mouthed troublemaker with a short fuse whose main target was Midoriya.

He sighed.

Yamaguchi was a former vigilante who had been caught fighting off a whole gang of cutthroats and who knows what else, and if he's theory was right, all over Tokyo. In the file they transferred from her former Junior High School, she was an achiever with high marks. Akira was reserved, cunning and an intelligent girl who planned ahead. No one can take out a gang without one hell of a head on their shoulders. The setbacks were her lone-wolf personality, her inability to stay out of trouble, her thirst for rule-breaking and of course, her problems with authority.

He sighed heavily.

Conclusion, Yamaguchi and Bakugou, volatile compounds on their own, would buttheads, and if a fight really did break out, it would be a disaster. Two storms dancing around each other.

"Okay, for today's homeroom, I want you guys to-" Aizawa began to speak.

Akira ears perked up. _What's he gonna say?_ Everyone tensed up, like the whole class had learned synchronized butt clenching.

"-choose a class president."

"Finally, something school-like!" She heard some of her classmates murmur.

On cue, more than half the class started squirming around and roared about them being the perfect class president. Mina was practically jumping in the air. Kirishima had stood up and loudly proclaimed his desire for the position. Even Bakugou was up for it. She could see Midoriya meekly raising his hand, this sweet summer child.

"Silence! The position of class president is intended for those with dedication and willingness to take responsibility in leading the masses! A good role model! It is not a task to be taken lightly! It is sacred and it needs trust from other people. I suggest a vote, Aizawa-sensei!" Iida announced, hand raised in the air, and with so much heart, Akira considered him an honorary Gallifreyan. She sat there mouth agape at his form.

 _He would fit that role perfectly. Keep everyone in line._ She thought. Momo could, too, but Iida had spunk. He stopped her and Bakugou from reenacting Fight Club in class.

"We just met, so how can we trust each other?" Tsuyu-chan chipped in, finger on her chin.

"Why would you suggest that? Everyone would just vote for themselves." Kirishima added.

"All the more reason to ask for votes! The person with a lot of votes mean he or she has the trust of other people, which is fitting!" Iida reasoned, hand slashing in excitement. He turned to grumpy human worm. "Is that alright, sensei?"

"As long as you don't take up too much time, I really don't care." Aizawa then gracefully took out his sleeping bag and slunk down for some naptime.

Tiny pieces of paper where passed around. Akira smelled the scent of democracy in her classroom. Then she remembered something important, stood up and spoke to her classmates.

"Please don't vote for me," she pleaded.

"Huh? Why no-"

"Please just don't," she said to Kaminari who was about to ask.

When the results came in, she nearly fell off her chair.

"What the hell did I just say?!"

Midoriya got three votes. Yaoyorozu got two votes. Akira got two as well.

"Who in All Might's blessed name voted for me?" She asked, and two hands surprising hands raised.

Tokoyami Fumikage and Todoroki Shouto.

The two quiet boys, at the back of her row, voted for her. It was a glitch in the matrix and she would like to know, but not now.

"Who the hell fucking voted for Deku?" Bakugou fumed.

 _Oh, she knew._ Akira smirked.

"Why didn't anyone vote for me?!" The explosive boy roared, teeth bared and crouching on his chair, ready to pounce.

"You know, it's almost like no one wants you to be class president," Akira deadpanned.

"It would be very scary if you were…" Sero-kun added.

"What the fuck did you say?!" Bakugou growled at Tape boy, and his eyes fell on her.

Akira winked at him, and he sneered at her, red-faced. He abruptly looked away, the flushing of his cheeks becoming more violent. He suddenly needed an ice cold shower.

"Huh? Who voted for me?" Iida asked this time.

"I did but it seems," she said and leaned forward, "you didn't vote for yourself."

"U-umm, thank you, Yamaguchi-san. Yes, I gave it to someone who deserved it."

"Aah...I see." Akira smiled as she spoke to him and scratched her cheek.

 _Iida made her smile!_

 _Lucky four-eyes._

 _I made her smile._

 _Akira-chan's eyes look brighter._

"We seemed to have a tie… Will coin toss suffice?" Momo asked her.

Akira shook her head. "I think you deserve this win, Momo."

"But they voted for you…" She gestured to the boys who voted for Akira.

She looked at Tokoyami, someone she had never spoken to, and Todoroki, who she thought was not the type to easily put his vote on someone else but himself. She grimaced.

"Okay, I'll give it a shot then. Heads for me." Iida tossed the coin in the air. _Please don't go heads._ With bated breath, they waited for Iida's answer.

"Heads."

Akira groaned and closed her eyes. Momo smiled at her while she clapped her hands.

 _I was close, but Yamaguchi-san is also strong._ She thought, and felt at peace.

"You guys are such trolls," she jested, rubbing her temples with a wry smile on her lips.

"Come up here, Midoriya and… Yamaguchi," Aizawa drawled.

 _Not my idea._ She whined in her head. Aizawa eyed her intensely. She hated being on stage.

Unbeknownst to her, Aizawa thought this was a great idea. A challenge. Something she never turned down. They look to her now. The lone wolf became the den mother, which is a bit hilarious.

"Midoriya is Class President. Yamaguchi is Vice President."

* * *

"Can I sit with you, guys?" Akira asked Midoriya and his friends.

"Yeah! Sure! I've always wanted to talk to you!" A brown-haired girl with a sweet smile said to her.

"Huh? Didn't you used to sit with Bakugou-san?" Iida asked her.

"Well, after what happened this morning… It's no problem. I know when I am not welcome," she said to them. She sat beside Midoriya who gave her a smile.

"So Yamaguchi-san," Iida began and cleared his throat, "why did you vote for me?"

"We have one hell of a class. We've got Bakugou. Most of the class is high on sugar half the time. We have a resident pervert. That chaos needs a little bit of order. I think that's you," she said and spooned some penne pasta in her mouth. "I voted for you because you'll be great at it."

Iida, however, stared at her with an open mouth. His ears had gone red and Uraraka, who noticed, choked on her drink. _Iida-kun looks like a tomato. A square tomato._

"I'm kinda scared. I don't know if I have what it takes to be a good class president," Midoriya said with concern.

"I believe you are a great leader, Midoriya-kun. You have what it takes, the courage and a keen mind to lead. It's why I voted for you," Iida said to him.

"But, you wanted to be president, too? You even have the matching glasses," Uraraka said.

 _Wow, she's right_. Akira thought. Iida took a sip from his orange juice.

"Wanting the position and being fit for it are very different. I only did what I thought was right," Iida reasoned.

She got to give it to Iida. It took a lot to admit that something is not for you just because you want it. Akira saw a smile appear once more on Uraraka's face.

"Iida-kun, are you, by chance, a rich boy?" She asked.

"Huh?... I was being careful. I didn't want anyone to call me that," he murmured.

 _Now, that makes sense._ Akira thought. His speech patterns proved that. He did come from Somei Private. Only the creme de la creme ever got there. _So he is either a business kid or a Pro-Hero kid?_ Akira watched Midoriya and Uraraka stare and bore holes into the back of his head.

"I am from a long line of Pro-Heroes. If you know the Turbo Hero, Ingenium, he's my older brother," Iida proudly told them.

"Of course, I know him! Ingenium has 65 sidekicks in his Tokyo agency and he's an admirable hero with strong morals and a great leader! I can't believe he's your brother!" Midoriya exclaimed.

"I want to become like him. He's my greatest idol…" Iida admitted with big smile on his face.

In her silence, a buzzing in Akira's head crescendoed, like TV static, drowning out the conversation around her. For a second there, she thought she saw the faceless little girl again, cowering behind Iida's huge form, just a mere shadow of her.

 _Shh, keep quiet or they'll catch us._ A faint yet cheery voice giggled close to her ear. She looked to her side and found no one. In a blink, the ringing in her head was gone. She picked up her fork once more and started eating. The penne pasta dish was keeping her preoccupied a while ago. Maybe it would work again.

"Iida-kun, I think it's the first time I saw you smile," Uraraka pointed out.

"Is that so? I smile, too."

Then the alarms blared, loud and shrill, drilling its dings right into everyone's skull.

Akira, who was about to put another fork of pasta into her mouth, paused and looked upon everyone's panic-stricken face. "Is it a fire alarm?" She asked no one in particular.

"Security Three has been breached. Security Three has been breached. Students must now evacuate to the rooftops," A woman's voice blared from the speakers.

"Security Three?" Iida asked.

She read that U.A handbook her uncle gave her. _What was that about the barrier again?_

Then she paled.

"Intruders. Someone unauthorized has breached the campus."

* * *

 **Author's note:**

1) Vlad has a dog, and I couldn't resist. I don't know its name though. I love these fur-babies. I saw the art, and I laughed a bit because the dog looks a bit like him with the canines.

2) While I was writing the vet clinic scene, I was watching _The Blue Exorcist._ The doctor is Yukio. Honestly, he's all I could picture when I was writing this little scene.

Believe it or not, I really don't like how Bakugou treats Midoriya. It was comedic sometimes, yeah, but I really don't like it, especially that scene where he tells Midoriya to jump off somewhere.

I am in Tumblr. If you are looking for extra content. I just made my first post in my Tumblr blog. I can't believe I didn't do this first. Search for **harbingersofwar.** The blog name is **Deez Arabica Nuts**.

The first post is Akira-chan's appearance. Comments, reviews and questions are welcome.


	4. Chapter IV: A Taste of Malevolence

**Chapter IV: A Taste of Malevolence**

 _I need food not tragedies._ Akira ruefully thought as she looked at her half-finished lunch.

Life wasn't some Q & A game show. Being right didn't always make you a winner. This was one of those days.

"That's the first time in three years!" A voice exclaimed.

Students started to pour out of the cafeteria. Iida, Midoriya and Uraraka stood to walk towards the evacuation route to the rooftop, but found one of them was left behind.

"Yamaguchi-san, we need to go to the rooftops," Iida said to her, but she continued to eat.

"Maybe later, I'll catch up."

"Yamaguchi-san! It's not safe! There-there might be villains," Midoriya pleaded.

"I really don't want to join the clusterfuc- party in those hallways. I suggest you don't as well," Akira reasoned and sighed towards her stubborn classmates.

"I promise I'll go to the evacuation. You go on. I'll make sure no one here is left behind."

When they left, she was surprised to find a few people around her, just sitting down. Tokoyami was there, too. She cleaned up her food and put the dirty tray away. Looking around, she found a vending machine, both for drinks and food, and got herself a chocolate bar and a lemon soda this time.

"You have quite the appetite," a deep rasp came behind her. Akira looked to the reflection on vending machine's glass.

"I'm just preparing for Hero studies, Tokoyami-kun. My Quirk takes quite a toll," she told him.

"Ah, I see," raven boy said.

"But I still like to eat. I am quite glad to have such a strong digestive system," she frankly admitted.

Surprisingly, Tokoyami gave her deep chuckle. "Why aren't you going to the evacuation?" He asked.

"I am on my way there, but I have to wait it out a few minutes," she said as they both started to walk towards the emergency route. The exit was through a hallway close to the cafeteria.

"Why?" Tokoyami asked.

"Because of that." Akira pointed towards the huge commotion filling the whole hallway to the emergency exit.

The students were pushing around, panicking and frustrated. Some were being squished against the glass walls, looking so done with life. If Caravaggio could paint this scene, he would name it the Fifth Circle of Hell, which is what it truly was. With the gnashing of teeth and the unified amount of typical teenage snarls, it would be appropriate. Akira really didn't want to die crushed in a stampede of angry people whose lunch was interrupted.

"What mad revelry…" Her companion murmured.

"Yes, it is," she agreed with him.

Movement outside the glass panes caught Akira's eye. There were people coming from a literal breach on the school's security barrier. Looking closer, they were cameramen, sound guys and reporters.

The media people had tripped the alarm. Akira grumbled.

They were at the very back of the chaotic line, when a huge figure floated and rapidly spun forward like Sonic the Hedgehog. The body slammed itself into the very front of the emergency exit and it revealed to be none other than Iida Tenya.

"Everyone! Calm yourself! It's just the press. There is nothing to panic about!" Iida said at the top of his lungs as he held on to a pipe above the Emergency sign. His knees were trembling. His legs trying its best to keep still and balance on the small space.

The bedlam below him silenced themselves.

"We are students of this prestigious school! Please conduct ourselves in the behavior U.A expects of us. Please stay calm!"

Akira stared at him with awe. "That's exactly why I voted for him. We've got nothing to worry about."

"High five!" A male voice behind her cheered, and Akira blindly extended her hand to side, and then, SMACK!

 _Wait. What?_

She looked to where Tokoyami was and found that he was not alone. A dark entity was sticking out of his chest, and Tokoyami was rubbing his face with embarrassment.

"Pardon me, I didn't… I didn't think he would do this," he ruefully said, "this is Dark Shadow. My Quirk."

"Hey there," the black beaked creature greeted Akira.

"Hey. What's up?" She asked.

"Well, missy, Fumikage, thinks you're-" Dark Shadow paused and felt a stifling heat from his "master's" glare.

"I mean, I'm just saying 'Hi'. Gotta go now." He hurriedly entered Tokoyami's chest and the bird-headed teen shook his head.

 _What was that about?_ Akira asked herself.

When they finally got to the classroom, Aizawa was waiting for them looking grumpier than usual. Akira guessed he might have been one of the folks who kept the media infestation at bay. They got right down to business which was deciding the rest of the officers who would help them.

She stood beside Midoriya who looked like he would tremble himself out of existence. She would flick her eyes at him every few seconds, to make sure he is actually there.

 _If he vibrates fast enough, he might convert his own body to energy._ Her mind joked.

 _Brain, please stop._ She pleaded.

 _Also, if he has green hair, does that mean he has chlorophyll? And can photosynthesize?_

 _Brain, I swear to All-_

"I-I would like to say something first- I think Iida Tenya is better suited to be the class president!"

She slowly looked at the slouching boy then at Iida, whose eyes now wide in shock.

"He took control of a chaotic situation. I think he deserves it more than me," he said.

 _Is this the part where I say "I told you so…"?_ Akira gloated in her thoughts. Being right wasn't always a good thing, but this time, it was.

"That's alright with me," Kirishima chimed in. "He did great in that evacuation."

"Is that okay, Yamaguchi-san?" Midoriya asked her.

"Well, I did vote for him," Akira said.

"It's perfect! He also looks like the emergency sign guy," jested a grinning Kaminari.

"Don't waste time," Aizawa, now in his divine burrito form, drawled, "I don't care, so can you hurry up? We've got things to do."

"Y-Yes. Can you come up here, Iida-kun?" stammered Midoriya.

 _Aizawa really needs a good 50 years of nap._ Akira thought.

"What do you say about this, Iida?" Akira asked the tall boy now standing beside her.

With his signature hand movements, he vowed. "I, Iida Tenya, promise to fulfill the class president's duty from now on!"

"You go Emergency Exit boy!" Kirishima cheered.

Akira applauded silently for Iida, but made a mistake of looking to her side, and found Hagakure secretly showing her a piece of paper of marker writings.

 **I SHIP U BOTH :3**

"N-no, no, no. Don't do that," stuttered Akira and frantically shook her head at her invisible classmate.

Aizawa finally got the class to settle down and he unzipped himself out of his comfy abode.

He strutted languidly to the podium as Akira and Iida went back to their respective seats. Akira snorted faintly. Her probationary officer, if she could call Aizawa that, would do well on the catwalk if he ever had enough energy to do so. _Or a razor._

"We have decided to teach you something else in our next Hero class. We'll be going somewhere new this time," Aizawa drawled.

 _We? Who's we?_ Akira questioned.

Aizawa pulled out a card with huge letters that said: RESCUE. The whole class gasped and some pumped their fists in the air.

"A good hero must ready to act in all kinds of danger. Protecting others is our job. Here, in this class, we start that lesson," Aizawa said.

"That's a true job for a hero. You can't be one without rescue," Kirishima said with enthusiasm, flexing his arm.

"I would fit well in rescuing people in aquatic environments," Asui-san added, her tongue sticking out adorably.

"Akira-san, are you the rescuing type as well? Or are you more on apprehending villains?" Momo asked her.

"I think I could multitask if I put my mind into it," she said, frowning, "but villains are my main priority."

"Aah, I see." Yaoyorozu noticed her brooding her features.

"Hey, I'm not done," scolded an exasperated Aizawa who was glaring at them, "you can choose not to wear your hero suits since some of your equipment hinder mobility. You can wear your P.E uniform instead. Now, go get change. Don't waste time." Aizawa pressed a button from a remote and areas of the wall to her left started sliding out. The class collectively made their move and picked their costumes.

"Yamaguchi, come here," The tired man beckoned and Akira stood up.

"Yes?"

"Your suit is being worked on by the support company. It'll be here in about two or three days," he told her.

"Oh, okay."

"But some of the gear you designed is available. You should check them out and see if they're to your specifications," he instructed and shooed her away.

She picked up her briefcase with No.21 on it and left to the girls' locker rooms. Akira changed to wearing a tank top and cycling shorts under her P.E uniform. She opened her briefcase and inside it were the custom-designed batons, which were just scribbles in a paper she drew six years ago. Talk about long term planning. It was back in the time where she actually wanted to be a hero.

 _Psst. You're in a school for heroes. You're going to become a hero._ Her mind murmured.

 _Tch._ She mentally hissed at herself.

The batons came with a shoulder harness that made her feel like she was 1Leon S. Kennedy about to strut into some remote Spanish town, kill some zombies, defeat the giant-child boss and save the American President's most helpless daughter. Or better yet, Ada Wong. Just Ada Wong.

She twirled the batons in between her fingers, ready to test them, and if the support company did it right, it would be one hell of a hyphenate. She sheathed the twin batons, their place now on her back and clipped the belt on her abdomen with a click.

"Woah, you look awwwessomme!" Tooru gushed behind her. "Even though you're just wearing P.E but those straps though…"

Akira looked at her and was surprised to see she was only wearing gloves and boots. "That looks very practical. Simple really is better," she complimented the invisible girl.

"Really? I thought it was very… bland…"

"No, I think you've got the basics right. And the basics matter more than… uhh… being garish," she told the girl.

"You don't have your hero costume yet, Akira-san?" Momo asked her.

"Yes," she answered as she looked at Momo, "the support company is working on it though."

She continued adjusting the straps to her harness, making sure they were neither too tight or too loose. Mobility was her greatest strength.

"Eh?... You're not shocked by it?" Tooru asked.

"Shocked by what?" Akira asked with a raised eyebrow raised.

"M-my costume?" Momo meekly gestured at her partially unclothed torso.

"Why would I be shocked by human body parts?"

 _I've seen human body parts. I've made humans into body parts. They're alive but… you know… feeling detached._ Her brain joked.

 _Not the best time… but you are correct._ Akira hummed.

"Oh, I see. That's great. It's kind of hard having to explain why my costume looks like this. It's too revealing, I know," she said, shyly gripping her leotard's collar. She remembered the stares. Especially Mineta, the little grape pervert.

"You don't have to explain… It's not like you're just flashing… You need it for your Quirk. There is no need for an explanation," Akira bluntly stated while putting on the tactical gloves from her suitcase. "Boys think everything is about them, but it's not. We have been conditioned that way by a lot of people. There's nothing wrong with you."

The girls blinked at her, mouth partly opened. An epiphany in their heads had revealed itself.

"You know what I say, be proud of what you have and if anyone gave you shit for it… Kill them," Akira advised.

"Akira-chan, no!" Tooru scolded.

"I mean, maim them. Break their kneecaps," Akira said. The girls looked at her appalled.

"What? It's the best I can do," scoffed Akira. Momo chuckled.

"I understand. Thank you." The girl smiled, and Akira nodded with understanding.

"It's nothing. Telling the truth shouldn't be a grandiose gesture." Akira checked her watch. "It's almost time. We should head out."

Akira found some of the boys were done changing, and of course, Iida was there already waiting, along with Midoriya and Todoroki. The green-haired boy was wearing his P.E uniform along with extra gear while Todoroki was only wearing an all-white get-up. Iida, however, was in full-battle armor with long vents coming out of his legs. He looked much larger because of it, leaving Akira a bit perturbed.

 _An already tall man shouldn't make himself even taller._ She internally grumbled.

"Yamaguchi-san, I see you're wearing your P.E uniform," Iida said, rubbing his chin.

"Iida-kun, I see you're... about to embark on an adventure and save a… princess," said Akira as she tilted her head to get a good look at his equipment.

 _Hehe. Equipment._

She sighed mentally. _Why you always make everything sound so dirty..._

"W-what? Yes, it is quite the armor-Uhh, Yamaguchi-san, w-what are doing?" He flushed. Akira was currently circling him, and had raised his armored arm up to see more of him.

"Please don't scream," she said.

"Huh? What?" He yelped when he felt himself being lifted from the ground by about a feet or two.

Iida was surrounded by translucent golden light that soaked gentle warmth into his skin, the way an embrace only could. He was placed on his feet after only a few seconds, but he knew the sensation was etched into his memory forever. Any longer than a few seconds, he might have even dozed off.

Akira merely blinked at him as she set him down. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to scare you," she said.

"No, a bit surprised. It felt strange though," he commented. _Breathing. Alive._

"Strange how? Was it cold? Or warm?"

"Warm."

"I see." Akira noted down in her head, tapping a finger on her lip. _Iida says its warm & toasty. He was smiling a bit. Positive, then? _

"Why did you do that?" Iida asked.

"I wanted to test how heavy your armor was. I can sense its mass once my energy latches itself to an object. I gotta say that's some pretty wicked alloy there. It's light but incredibly sturdy," Akira commented. Her engineering-dropout-coffee-enthusiast cousin could know something about its composition.

She chuckled. Akira should ask permission to visit him sometimes. He must be lonely.

"It's time to go," Aizawa drawled. To her surprise, Iida zoomed through the hallway to go outside first. If she hadn't evaded in time, she would have been shot to another dimension, or sliced in half.

She scratched her head and shook it. _Someone should put a speed limit here._

When they all went outside, she found Iida with a whistle. The boy was born to lead the masses… at traffic control.

"Class 1-A! Please fall in line by twos! Gather up!" He called out at the top of his voice, followed by multiple sharp whistles. The whole class stared at him quizzically.

"What's up with him?" Kaminari asked as he stepped beside Akira.

"Doing his job," she said.

"Wow, Iida-kun really is into this." The blonde boy stared at his classmate.

Akira gave him the once-over. "You look well put together."

"Uhh—thanks?" He didn't know what to say to that. "You're not wearing your suit, but those are some nice batons. You know how to use them?"

Akira blinked at him. Her face blank.

Kaminari paled, and awkwardly chuckle. "That was a stupid question."

"Hmm," Akira hummed lowly as they both walked towards the bus.

 _What does that mean? Oh, God, she hates me._ Kaminari thought.

 _I should sit beside someone quiet…_ Akira crossed her arms. _Anyone but Bakugou. Definitely._

When everyone is inside, Iida ended up moping due to the bus seating, his efforts turned to nil. Akira found herself seated between the sulking class president and Mina. She didn't have a choice in the matter. The pink girl pulled her with a strength of a junkie on Trigger and would probably tear off her arm.

Asui-chan, surprisingly, waved at her, tongue poking out. Akira nodded at Kirishima who beamed. She had to look away when a fuzziness within bubbled in her belly.

 _Heartburn? You shouldn't have eaten that much pasta then._ She sighed. _I have no regrets._

The frog girl looked at Midoriya. "I always say anything that comes into mind. Midoriya…"

"Y-yes, Asui-san," sputtered Midoriya.

"Call me Tsuyu."

"Okay." The green-haired boy blushed. Akira found it a stunning display of complementary colors.

"Your Quirk is similar to All Might's," Tsuyu-chan blurted out.

Midoriya paled and turned into some color Akira had never seen before.

"Y-yeah? W-well…I- don't know about that…"

"But Tsuyu-chan, All Might doesn't break his arms when he attacks," Kirishima chimed in, "their Quirks only look alike."

To her front, Akira could notice relief on Midoriya's face. _You don't like anyone talking about your Quirk._ Now why would he feel that way? Anyone- everyone, in a school like this would be whipping their Quirks around. It was close to celebrity status. A mundane and ridiculous idea to create some sort of caste system. Akira frowned and looked outside.

 _Why do you hide, Midoriya?_ She thought, glancing at the meek boy, and the other side of her whispered back. _A squirrel hides their nuts to protect them._

 _So why does Midoriya… hide his nuts? If it's a normal kind of nuts, then why does he have to hide them? Are they a special type of nuts-_

She had to shake herself physically to stop. There are too many nuts.

"My hardening is good. But it's not flashy. It's boring," Kirishima said.

"It's a good Quirk. Fit for a pro-Hero," Midoriya assured him.

"You think so? But the Hero world is based on popularity. Flashiness is part of that." The red-haired boy sighed.

"My Navel Laser is flashy and strong!" Aoyama blurted out.

"Yes, but it's kinda bad to have a stomach ache in battle," Mina quipped, and the glittery, French-loving boy turned blue.

"Speaking of flashy, Bakugou and Todoroki's Quirks sure are showy…and yeah, Yamaguchi-san as well. Her Quirk does glow."

"Akira."

They all blinked at her.

"Yamaguchi's too long. Akira saves time," she said to them, "and I always go with how you use your Quirk instead of how good it looks. Your Quirk has a lot of potential."

"Akira-chan is right, Kirishima," Tsuyu chimed in, "besides, Bakugou is always angry and screaming. He won't be that popular."

"What the hell did ya say?! I will be fucking famous!" Bakugou bellowed and stood up.

"You see what I mean," Tsuyu added, her tongue sticking out.

"It's astounding that we've all just made your acquaintance, yet we are cognizant of your personality that is akin to waste steeped in sewage," Kaminari elaborated with a sly smirk on his face.

"What the hell kind of vocabulary is that?! You wanna die?!" Bakugou fumed.

"Charles Dickens possessed him just to insult you, Bakugou. You should feel honored," Akira quipped.

"You tiny little shit," Bakugou hissed.

"Hmm." Akira nodded indifferently at the fuming boy. Mina chuckled beside her.

Unbeknownst to them, Midoriya was having an existential crisis. No one has ever stood up to Bakugou before, but here in this class, it was the natural order. A normal day for everyone. They had no fear for his explosive temper.

 _U.A truly was in a level of its own._

"We're here. That's enough," Aizawa drawled.

When they came out, they were met by Thirteen, a hero who specialized in rescue operations. Akira gawked at the plump hero. _He looks like Pillsbury… from space._

"We were waiting for you!" The astronaut fellow said with a raspy yet cheerful modulated voice.

Midoriya began his gushing and spilling out information on Thirteen. His cheeks were obviously red. Ochako happily admitted being his fan. Akira quietly looked at them both.

There was that tender feeling again. A memory was on the tip of her tongue, of laughter and a bright smile. She shook her head. _Don't do this._

"Let's go inside!"

Their training area was impressive. They were inside a massive dome-like structure with multiple staged areas for disasters. There was an area with whole mountain spilling out into a mudslide, a bisected boat in a middle of water, and Akira's favorite, what looked to be a smaller dome with buildings on fire inside. Akira couldn't keep her eyes from wandering and her mind from bursting into a million questions.

 _How do they control the flames? What kind of accelerant? Is the earthquake zone trembling or is it for dealing with the aftermath? How did U.A simulate such a powerful storm in-_

"Wow, is it Universal Studios?"

"It's so huge!"

"Mudslides. Storms. Shipwrecks in the middle of the sea. I designed and built this training area to teach students how to deal with such unexpected disasters. It's called… Ultimate Simulation Joint!" Thirteen announced.

 _So it is USJ._ Akira was very much amused.

"Thirteen, where's All Might? He's supposed to be teaching with us," Aizawa asked.

"Well, you see… He kinda- " He leaned closer to Aizawa.

Akira could barely hear them.

"He's resting right now," Thirteen said as he raised three fingers. Aizawa sighed

"He's very illogical," Aizawa said and sighed. "We'll have to start without him."

"Before we begin this exercise, I'd like to say one thing- or two- or three-" Thirteen faltered.

"I'd like to tell you about my Quirk. It's called Black Hole, and it could literally suck things up and turn them to dust. Very dangerous, isn't it?" Thirteen stated, his hand raised.

Everyone was quiet this time.

Akira agreed. There was fine line between life or death, depending on one's knowledge and control. Her Quirk was truly not for dazzling anyone, despite its looks. She had proven that too many times.

"You need to understand, I have helped people with this Quirk, but it is a power that can still hurt people… or worse. I'm sure yours could, too. In this society were Heroes are around us, it is strictly regulated and monitored. You must be considerate and responsible when using it. In your Quirk Assessment, you have seen the limits and strengths of your abilities. In All Might's exercise, you saw just how dangerous its application is. Here, our lesson is to teach you how to use your Quirk to rescue and protect."

Class 1-A had never been so silent before, obviously listening intently to the hero's speech.

"When you leave today, we want you to learn that your ability is not for hurting people but for saving them." Then he bowed gracefully. "Thank you for listening!"

The class cheered and clapped loudly for the hero. Akira applauded him as well.

"So now, we will start-" Aizawa spoke but was interrupted with a loud whirring sound, and the lights suddenly dimmed.

* * *

Akira could see the girl in front of her. Her form was unfocused, like a faded out painting, like she was still that ghost in the corner of her eye. Her face barely had any features but she wore a black dress. Always that black dress. She was mouthless, below her nose was blurry skin, like all of her, in death-like pallor, and more than half her face was covered by short ebony hair, and her eyes. Her eyes were the vivid color of blood, and sad. So sad. Why?

The ghost girl raised her arm to her side and pointed far away from them, behind Aizawa-sensei who was speaking to them. Akira saw her eyes once more, the despairing eyes now filled with something else.

She was afraid. Why is she scared?

There was that ringing again, that tinnitus in her ear, in her mind. Familiar, it beckoned her. She slowly walked toward the black-haired Pro-Hero.

"Yamagu-"

"Aizawa," she whispered, "something's coming. Something bad."

Then it appeared.

A swirling black smoke that expanded into wide black-purple flames, and for a short while, Akira thought she saw glowing slits that looked like eyes. Out of that darkness, forms started walking and pouring out.

"Stay in one group!" Aizawa exclaimed. "Thirteen, protect the students."

"H-huh? What is that?" Kirishima focused his eyes on the figures coming out of the swirling void. "Is this some kind of test?"

"Don't move!" Aizawa said, putting on his goggles and readying himself. "Those are real villains."

Akira could only watch. _Do something. Do something._ She leaned close to the tall man. "Aizawa, let me-"

"No, we had an agreement. Stay out of trouble," he firmly told her, "let the Pros handle this. Trust us."

 _Nah, no thanks._ Akira knitted her eyebrows.

When shit hits the fan, agreements won't dissuade a homicidal maniac. She could hold her own against these mooks, but her classmates, could they? She could count on only one hand the people who she thought had the guts to actually hit back. Bakugou, Todoroki and Tokoyami seemed to have the bite, the initiative, to hit hard. Kirishima, Iida and Yaoyorozu would probably beat someone up with enough push. But what about people like Tsuyu, Mineta or Ochako? If the odds were stacked against them?

Ochako told her that she needed to touch someone to use her Quirk. Tsuyu is amphibian and would do badly against too much heat and too much cold. Mineta is...well… Mineta. There are others she would like to mention, but time was of the essence.

"Akira-san, we have to move." She heard Iida call out, but she couldn't take her eyes off of Aizawa.

She could go with Iida. It was the easiest, most obvious decision, but her feet were grounded on the spot. There was a pain in her gut when she slowly walked away. Then, there _she_ was again. At the very corner of her sight, a small blurry figured stood, far away but when she spoke she could hear it, loud and clear.

"Is that really what you want?" The little girl spoke gently.

 _No._ It would be a cold day in hell before she liked leaving people behind.

The class started to walk towards the exit, but dark winds blew and the swirling black mass appeared before them. It changed shape and became towering dark flames with yellow glowing slits that glared at them.

"Forgive us, we have invited ourselves into the beacon of hero society. Greetings! We are the League of Villains. Our mission… To kill All Might… The Symbol of Peace," the smoke grimly announced with a deep sonorous voice.

"What? That's insane!"

"They can't kill All Might. He's the strongest of us all!"

Akira frowned at his threat. She heard shuffling and the next thing she knew, Kirishima and Bakugou had launched themselves towards the black fog.

"Take this you foggy shit!"

Akira lunged forward. "You idiots! Don't do it!"

Loud explosions and blinding flashes made her look away and cover her eyes. When they looked to wear that thing was, it was still intact and unscathed. Bakugou and Kirishima gaped at it, eyes wide.

"That was truly perilous," he said and sighed with relief. "You might be children but you are the golden eggs of your school."

"You two! Get out of there!" Thirteen exclaimed, and pointed his opened finger at the villainous fog, siphoning his essence.

"I applaud your determination, Thirteen. But we are different…" The fog spoke, and a warp appeared before him and behind the Space Hero. "My specialty… is not rescue."

Thirteen's own black hole appeared behind him. The hero let out a strangled gasp as the strength of his own Quirk was used against him, and tore the back of his suit to dust. The class stared in horror helplessly.

"Thirteen-sensei!" Akira heard someone cry out.

The hero staggered and fell, broken and injured.

The black fog grew taller and formed large wings that surrounded the whole class. Strong winds pulled and thrashed around them.

"It's time I scatter you all… Where you will be tortured… and killed."

"Fuck! I should have stayed with Aiza-" Akira couldn't feel her regrets but certainly felt herself being pulled into something. After that, she was plummeting into nothingness.

In the void, it opened like a curtain, light piercing through, and Akira fell with a harsh thud on the ground. She slowly got to her feet, but instantly stiffened when she sensed many people surrounding her with less than friendly intentions.

Akira listened to their sinister chuckles and sneering insults. All they saw was a little girl, lost and alone.

They have made a mistake.

Akira would now teach them to rue this day.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

 **1** Leon S. Kennedy and the whole paragraph is about Resident Evil 4. If you've played it, you know the struggle with Ashley. Really glad they're remaking the Resident Evil 2 as well.

Comments and reactions are always welcome, also questions, if you have them.

I'm excited to write the whole USJ incident. I'm also planning to make a poll, pairings and scenarios, for a bonus chapter, which will be posted sometime between the 7th and 10th chapter.

 _Up Next… **Chapter V: The Symbol of Peace**_


	5. Chapter V: The Symbol of Peace

**Chapter V: The Symbol of Peace**

"Get a hold of yourself. You are supposed to be frightening villains," Todoroki scowled at the pitiful sight before him.

 _Just a bunch of assholes. Planning to kill All Might and shit._

Todoroki had frozen the villains, who had tried to jump him earlier, solid and immobile. The look of pain and fear so evident in there eyes and their trembling forms. It was… disappointing.

"Now, you better tell me-" He felt a presence behind him, ready to pounce. He stepped aside, as the man lunged and the villain's spear, missed him. Todoroki easily held on to the the man's weapon and ice rapidly crept on and covered the stranger's body.

"What the hell kind of kid are you?" _Someone out of your league._

"Now tell me… what made you think you could kill the Symbol of Peace?" Todoroki hissed, stretching his open palm unto the man's face.

A flash of light caught his eye, so he willed his ice to break and with a few choice hits, his opponents were out cold.

Todoroki started to walk, but remembered something.

"Hagakure, watch out for yourself. And stay away from enemies," he told the invisible girl who kept away from him.

A floating pair of boots and gloves walked towards him. "I'm fine, Todoroki-kun." She sighed. A few moments ago, the boy almost made a popsicle out of her when she startled him. They both walked towards the small flashes of light and shadow.

They were on a hill, made steep by the debris from ruined houses and the mudslide. The weird lights came below them, and the two students slowly slid down, mindful of both enemy and hazardous terrain. They needed to see if it was a villain they have to watch out for or a classmate in need of a hand.

It proved to be the latter.

"Akira-chan, she needs our help," Hagakure whispered to Todoroki.

They carefully approached her, but as they did, Todoroki couldn't help but observe.

She was being circled by about five people, bigger than her. He didn't see the rest, but there were huge mutant types who could probably crush someone's skull. The others he didn't know.

There was a movement behind her, a small churning from the ground beneath. Then, a villain with an insect-like face, lunged out and from his mouth, spit out a huge rock. The projectile zoomed right to her direction, at the back of her head to be exact.

But Akira only tilted her head, spun around, and caught the projectile with her hand. It glimmered in fiery gold light and she threw it right back at him with her Quirk. An explosion of concussive power shook the ground.

 _That villain better be alive._ He thought ruefully.

Akira had thrown a quick blasts and arcs of energy around her. A few had dodged, only to find either their arms or legs, wrapped in constricting energy. They were tied down. With an elaborate spin and high-kick, she had probably broke that mutant-type's jaw.

"Amazing, she's fighting them all on her own!" Hagakure gushed.

When most of them were restrained, she slowly approached, and, next thing, they were all suspended in the air, most hanging upside down. Some were tied up on both hands and feet, curled and bent in a very uncomfortable position, but Akira looked indifferent.

Todoroki was close enough, he could hear the villains' pained groans and whimpers. She could barely here Akira. It seemed even in battle she didn't like screaming around, not like someone else in class.

"We don't answer questions from brats like you!" One of them bellowed.

"You are restrained… and that wasn't a request," she spoke grimly, "I'll give you an incentive. Whoever answers first gets to keep both their kneecaps."

"You don't have the guts, girl!"

Akira sighed a heavy, irritated breath, her knuckles white with restraint. "You are wasting my time. In the count of five… What is your plan to kill All Might?" She all but snarled.

"Five."

"Four." No answer.

"Three." She waved a hand and gave a little more force on constricting them. Whimpers and gasps followed.

"Tw—"

"It was that blue haired guy! And that huge thing!" A girl in her twenties with a scorpion tail cried out.

"Tell me."

"He-Shigaraki told us that the huge thing, Nomu he—he called it, was created to kill All Might. Please I was just recruited for the money!"

"Thanks," Akira said to her. The girl let out a sigh of relief and so did her floating companions.

That was until she snapped her fingers and the villains' kneecaps. Simultaneous loud pops and cracks were heard followed by pained shouts and thrashing.

"You bitch! You fucking bitch!" One of the roared, cursing.

"Why are you angry? The condition of your well-being was based on your cooperation. As you could see, your comrade is well."

"Fucking bitch! I'll kill you!"

With a wave of her hand, her energy dissipated and they all fell on the ground. Their knees were starting to bruise. She was careful. It would be an excruciating experience, but it wouldn't be debilitating.

"You think you can come in here, threaten our lives and the Symbol of Peace, then leave without a scratch. You are sadly mistaken," Akira hissed at them. She unsheathed her baton and clicked the controls to STUN.

She approached the girl who still had both her kneecaps, and swung the baton at her full force. She fell limp on the ground. Akira walked away from the groaning bodies, and felt her classmates' presence.

"Who's there?" She asked.

"It's us! It's us!" Hagakure called out to her. Akira flickered her eyes at the invisible girl's companion.

"That was quite the interrogation," he said to her, "I didn't think you had it in you."

"You don't know much about me," she countered, still reeling from questioning those villains.

"We need to get back to the Plaza where Aizawa-sensei is. I have a bad feeling," she told Todoroki.

"Is there a way for you to communicate? Something telepathic?" Todoroki asked.

"No. Not all psionics can read minds, you know," Akira said. _Why do they always assume that?_

"Shit," Todoroki cursed.

"We have to go there. That Nomu thing was still there with that blue-haired guy. Aizawa-sensei is there," she whispered to him grimly.

"A Nomu?" Todoroki asked.

"It's the Undertaker with the Mojo Jojo brain," Akira told him.

"What?" Todoroki was confused.

"It's that big muscular thing with brains leaking out," Hagakure answered him.

"Tooru, hop on my back. We'll slide down faster that way," instructed Akira and Hagakure did what she was told.

"Please don't drop me." Hagakure held on to her tightly.

"I've carried someone much heavier than you."

Well, Ken was a lightweight and never turned down a drinking game. Yuki wanted the full-relationship experience so piggy-back rides were occasionally given. She would have to thank them for giving her such strong upper body.

The three of them descended the steep slopes of the Landslide zone. Akira used her Quirk like a skateboard. Todoroki was right beside her, sliding around with the ice on his feet.

There were a few foes on the way down but they were weak was a limp noodle. Akira actually made them give away their position by singing a song.

"What is love?" Akira sang, an anxious tick she sometimes hated.

"Baby, don't hurt me-!" A voice behind a broken house followed and Todoroki sent a whole avalanche to it.

"Wow! That actually worked?!" Hagakure cheered.

"I didn't mean to that," Akira said, as she leaned forward, and added more speed.

"What?" Todoroki raised an eyebrow.

"That song's been in my head for far too long," Akira huffed.

Todoroki was quirked an eyebrow. "There seemed to be more of them out there," Todoroki said.

"Maybe we should clear-"

"No, you have Tooru. Get to the Entrance. I'll take care of it." Todoroki skidded away and went to where the villains were.

"Okay," Akira agreed and sped off.

As they neared the Central Plaza, Akira felt a dull ache in the back of her head that spread through her whole body, particularly her arms. She groaned lowly in pain, but Tooru noticed.

"Are you okay? You should put me down," Tooru suggested.

"No, it's not you… Someone-someone is being hurt. Very badly. I can feel it," Akira whispered. "We need to hurry."

They were close to where the Landslide Area ended which was beside the Shipwreck Area. She found a few floating bodies there, and to her relief, none of them were her classmates. They were covered in purple balls.

 _Mineta actually had the balls it seems._

She slowly halted to a stop. She could sense them all out there, with their sinister intentions, and their thirst for innocent blood. It sickened her to the bone.

"Stay here, Tooru," she said and gently put her down, "I need to go ahead. I could sense enemies I head. I don't want you in the middle of a battle."

She hurriedly ran towards the end of Shipwreck zone, and saw three figures sticking out of the water. Far away, the huge creature, Nomu stood bending over a bloodied body below it. Akira's eyes glowed with cold rage.

 _Aizawa._

A flash of movement caught her eye and the pale man with blue hair had lunged himself, hand stretched out with the intent to kill. The manic smile of his face widened as he got closer to Tsuyu.

Akira jumped, and using her Quirk, let out out a continuous stream of fiery energy from her feet, propelling upwards then forward, wind whipping on her face.

* * *

"You really are cool… Eraserhead," Shigaraki drawled, hand stretched out on the girl's face. His decaying quirk erased, and the girl's body untouched.

"SMASH!"

The blast of powerful winds rocked the Plaza, obscuring vision and shaking the ground beneath them. The water swished, Mineta and Tsuyu were pushed away like fish in a shaking bowl.

Tsuyu looked around, making sure if Midoriya was okay, and found him, fist raised, in front of the behemoth. His attack had done nothing, and the villain behind the hulking beast, was unhurt.

"Smash? Are you one of those… All Might fans?" The pale man hissed. "I really hate All Mi—what?" He gawked. The green-haired boy was now covered in a shimmering golden bubble.

"Hey, fuckface."

Shigaraki looked up and saw her, a girl with glowing eyes narrowed at him. She extended both of her hands, and out came a torrent of energy that blasted its way toward him.

Akira couldn't do that without harming Midoriya and the others. She had to hurriedly put a shield around them and push them back a few feet. If she hadn't, well, this would be a good chance to have a smokin' hot bod.

The blast had caused the darkest scorch mark, and a deep fissure was now there, close enough to the Shipwreck Zone that some of its water had started spilling into it. Akira landed on her feet, but not close enough to get to Aizawa.

"Oh? Another contender?" The pale man said.

 _Shigaraki is the boss here._ She thought.

Now closer, the large creature was probably the ugliest thing Akira had ever seen. It seemed someone had gotten the idea to turn Blighttown into a tangible living creature, which meant it was ugly, rotten, dank in the wrong places and could probably kill her.

Ugliness, aside, it was the nothingness that Akira felt that was most unnerving. There was nothing in him, no calm, no thirst and no rage. It was an empty vessel, and being in its presence was like dropping her brain in a glass of ice cubes and McShakin' it.

"If you wanted to come here, why didn't you just knock? Not only that," Akira spoke and spared Aizawa a glance, "you just broke my adviser's bones."

"He got in the way," he replied, "and we did knock."

Akira tilted her head. Then she remembered. "Ahh, that was you. The breach in security. Could've used a door knocker, no?"

"Hmm? You're quite confident to be holding convers—"

Akira interrupted him by throwing a blast of energy with a punch, followed by her wide arc of a high kick that had sent more of her energy his way. A barrage of burning incandescent gold covered the plaza.

Shigaraki gritted his teeth. He could use Nomu but this girl… She had smirked the moment he spoke back to her.

A sudden movement from her side notified Akira of other enemies, Shigaraki's underlings, coming to. One of them pounced at her, but she swerved away spinning, and sent a blast right to his abdomen.

 _He won't be breathing for a while._

"You little shit!" One of them yelled, but she cartwheeled close to him.

The villain, caught off guard with her speed, tried to swing a punch at her. Akira had circled around him, and tripped him with a low sweeping kick. The large man fell with a pained grunt. Akira, raging, lifted him by the heel with her energy and threw him at an incoming woman with snakes for hair.

A bulky mutant villain with grey skin and four-arms aimed a punch right at her face. _A wild Machamp appears._

Akira narrowed her eyes at him, took a step back and tilted her head to evade. She lowered herself, hands and a knee on the ground, one of her legs outstretched, and spun in an arc immediately. More of her psionic energy blasted out of her, and the man fell on his back, but pushed himself up with his buff hands.

Akira, not one to leave an enemy standing, had jumped up after her sweeping kick, and this time, spun the other direction and aimed a well-timed roundhouse kick right to his face. The discharge of energy was strong enough to flip him on his stomach and away from her. Like a cat, Akira landed on her feet once more.

She would stay still. Handspring. Cartwheel. Strike. Stay still again. Evade. Blast someone. Stay still. Spin. It was irritating and unpredictable but effective. There was an elegance to it and Shigaraki couldn't stop but watch this deadly dance.

When he saw most of his subordinates have, once again, been outmatched, it seemed Shigaraki had to do his underlings' job once more, and against a student. He grimaced.

Akira started to walk towards Aizawa but stopped when a faint breeze hit her in the face. With barely enough time to conjure a force-field, Nomu swung his meaty arm at her. With normal opponents, this shield would have either broken their arm or stop them dead on their tracks, but Nomu wasn't a typical no-gooder, and inertia was a bitch.

Akira was thrown many a feet away then roughly bounced on the ground. Her elbows were scraped, there was a burning ache on her sides, which was probably a bruised or worse, a broken rib, and there was something on her face. Something warm and wet was obscuring her vision.

 _Oh, it's just my blood._ Akira groaned. A beating was not in her day planner.

"Akira-chan! Let us out!" A voice shouted. She looked to where it was and saw Midoriya, still in that force-field orb she had put him in for protection.

When Akira had put them on her classmates, she had willed them to be immovable and incredibly strong. It would take either her control or something with the strength of wrecking ball, would break that. Now, Midoriya, Mineta and Tsuyu were currently watching her getting beat up in a force-field hamster ball.

 _But the Nomu could break that._ Her mind whispered grimly.

She felt herself being picked up by one arm, and the asshole of a Nomu held her like newly-caught salmon. Akira groaned.

 _This didn't go as planned._ She looked Nomu dead in the eye.

"You're one ugly son of a bitch... Or is it just your primer?"

She heard someone chuckle. Shigaraki was there, looking handy with his hands. "You U.A folks really are something. Eraserhead over there saved his students even after Nomu crushed his arms and face."

Akira's eye twitched at his words, but he continued.

"Here you are, beating up my underlings, you're now held up by Nomu, yet you're still joking around," he spoke with curiosity, "more than anything, you have those eyes."

Akira narrowed her eyes at him, her golden irises glowing more ardently.

"There! There it is!" Shigaraki exclaimed. "Such a waste, but if I don't do something about you… You'd end up probably killing me."

Akira let out a pained scream when Nomu's grip tightened, her left wrist cracked like eggshells. The pain was overwhelming. She could barely think and she could hear people calling out for her. She immediately wrapped her legs around the Nomu's head. Using her Quirk, she slashed its face with a blazing sword and it flinched, thank goodness.

It let go of her and she fell to the ground. Smoke billowed from his face, but the wound, she saw, slowly closed by itself. _The fuc-?_

It lunged at her again. Its speed was frightening and quicker than the eye. She could sense its mindlessness, frigid and buzzing, but only in time to evade him. Blocking was no use and something Akira never liked doing.

The Nomu suddenly stood still, and the pale figure lunged at Akira. Shigaraki extended his hand, trying to get to her face. Akira then mimicked him and caught his hand in a glowing mist, but a shadow loomed over her.

"Nomu…" Shigaraki drawled.

"No, you don't!" Akira raised her other arm. The force-field blocked the blow in time but the force of the Nomu's punch knocked the air out of her. Her shield wasn't gonna take another hit. She gasped and felt the burning ache in her guts.

 _The greatest danger of a broken bone is that a shard of it may pierce a vital organ, like the heart, causing painful internal bleeding._ Her mind rambled in its encyclopedic knowledge.

 _Not the right time, brain._ Akira groaned.

 _Death is possible without proper medical attention._ Her mind continued.

"Impressive… You really are-"

A loud crash resounded through out USJ.

* * *

The large doors had broken apart and a tall figure stood in a cloud of dust. Akira recognized the man. She had seen him in a thousand videos, gold hair, powerful, statuesque and charismatic.

"All Might," she breathed out, and so did Shigaraki.

"You… you're finally… here." Shigaraki was trembling with manic excitement.

With a burst of speed, all the small-fish villains were down. Shigaraki looked away once, and the girl in front of him was gone.

Akira didn't notice herself being pulled away from the fray. It was instantaneous.

She was once again zoomed away, this time, with All Might carrying the wounded Aizawa in his arms and found herself beside Midoriya, Tsuyu and Mineta. She took the risk of turning off the shields, while Nomu made a ragdoll out of her. .

"I'm sorry, Aizawa," he said. He looked sad. Akira had never seen him that way. Always with that smile. But not today.

"Akira-chan, you're badly hurt," Tsuyu said to her, worry in her voice.

She looked well, considering. Bird-faced maniacal Hulk tried to crush her. She should be mush but she wasn't. Half her face had blood on it, her left wrist had changed in color to a dark purplish hue. Her sides were aching like being pistol-whipped everytime she took a breath. It wasn't too bad.

 _Dying is easy. Living is harder._ She thought. _I never liked easy._

Akira saw Midoriya talk to the hero. She barely heard their conversation. Her sight was unfocused and everything was swaying, but Akira still had something to do.

"All Might-san," she said as she approached the hero, "watch out for the big thing. It has a few tricks up his sleeve, and I don't know what…" She took one step and winced loudly, falling on one knee.

"Akira-san!" Midoriya held her close. The large hero stared at her worrily.

"All Might-san, there's something wrong with that thing. It's strong. It's-"

"Everything's going to be fine. You're Yamaguchi Akira, right? Aizawa told me about you." Akira nodded at the hero, and he put a hand on her shoulder.

She stared at his hand. _I ain't washing that shoulder._

"Trust in us, alright? Stay with your friends. You've done more than enough." The hero smiled at her.

Akira had rarely ever been in the presence of heroes, not with her recent life choices. All Might was different, the same way that the Mona Lisa was different from a trash can, and damn, he was definitely the Mona Lisa.

"You kids go to the entrance. Bring Aizawa with you. He is unconscious," the tall man instructed.

Up close, Akira could now see Aizawa's injuries. His face was covered in blood, occasionally groaning from the pain. One of his elbows was raw and bleeding, and both of his arms were black and blue and bent unnaturally. This wasn't the man she head-butted two weeks ago.

 _Hold on, Aizawa._

"No, no, no," Shigaraki began muttering, "Father… I'm sorry." One of his hands had fallen from All Might's rushed rescue. His body trembled, and slowly picked up the dismembered hand.

"Father." He sighed when the hand touched his face. There was relief in the way his shoulders went slack, and Akira was tempted to steal the hand on his face just to see what would happen, but stopped herself. It wasn't the right time.

Shigaraki suddenly looked at them with a crazed smile on his face and Akira could now see his crimson eyes. Unlike the little ghost that followed her, his eyes held pain and the hunger to share it.

"All Might, that thing didn't budge from my punch-"

"Young Midoriya… It's all fine." The tall hero gave him a smile and a peace sign. Midoriya gaped at him, and nodded reluctantly.

They started to walk away but Akira couldn't help but worry. The battle ensue behind them.

It was safe to say that she was at awe. All Might's strength was impressive. The stadium rocked with every blow he gave the foul Nomu. Despite the feats happening before her eyes, Akira couldn't help but worry.

 _Paranoia is the byproduct of being always right._ She once heard that line somewhere. Something about the Nomu's ability to heal irked her. She watched the fight as she and her other classmates walked away.

Akira heard the pale man chuckle. "Punch all you want, but you won't defeat him that way," he bragged, "you see, he's got shock absorption. If you truly want to hurt him, you're gonna have to slowly tear him to pieces… but I doubt he'd let you do that."

In a flash of an eye, a huge explosion shook the plaza once more. There had been too many booms and Akira, for a few seconds, thought that All Might and a certain explosive classmate were related.

"Wow, that backdrop was awesome! All Might is truly on another level!" Mineta exclaimed with heartfelt joy. Akira was shocked that something other than a Playboy Magazine actually caught the perverted boy's attention.

Midoriya, however, didn't seem pleased at all. He looked weary and troubled, brows furrowed and eyes closed.

"Aim for its balls!" Akira heard the purple child cheer.

"I doubt it has reproductive org-" Akira spoke but observing Midoriya's grim face made her stop.

Akira looked to the battle below them, when the dust cloud from the blast settled, the sight was not a pretty one.

"A-All-All Might!" Midoriya exclaimed.

The Symbol of Peace was now trapped in an unusual lock. His attempt at a suplex had opened him to a dangerous opportunity for his enemies. Half of the Nomu's body was gone. A warp gate had transported the upper part of his torso under All Might, his sharp claws digging into his sides. A fatal entanglement.

Akira gasped as she saw the lower half of his body being dragged closer to the warp gate. _No. No. No. No. If he can't get away from that hold-_

 _Being bisected is a painful end._ Her mind spoke. _Depending on where, the unfortunate victim will often find themselves in a prolonged agonizing death. It takes hours to bleed out below the abdom-_

 _SHUT UP! You are not helping._ She grunted. Midoriya looked at her briefly.

 _She must be in a lot of pain. Fighting the Nomu like that… That was beyond awesome._ The green-haired boy gushed. _I should ask her about her fighting style._

Midoriya saw his teacher's predicament and winced. He needed to do something.

There is only one way. "Tsuyu, Mineta, can you bring Aizawa-sensei to safety?" He said, and carefully passed his teacher's limp body to his classmate.

"S-Sure. Wait, what are you-"

He ran and Akira followed him. She was slower now. The pain in her sides was overwhelming and she could taste metal on her lips every time she breathed, but All Might needed their help, and Midoriya seemed the type to jump into troub-

Midoriya jumped into the fray before she could even finish the thought. His hand reaching out to his sensei. Akira was a few feet away from him, and immediately sensed the shift of movement from the warp gate and indeed, the black mist aimed to give him the same end as his teacher. A part of him appeared immediately close to Midoriya's outstretched hand. Akira, still with enough strength and speed, punched right through the air and send a small but concentrated energy right at the very beings that held All Might.

 _If they flinch, the teacher could get away and Midoriya could have enough time to-_

"Die! You scumbag fog!" A loud voice came. "Get out of my way, Deku!"

A flash of ash-blond and green smacked the black mist and it immediately flinched. Bakugo grabbed the metallic part of the mist's body and aimed his hand there. Akira ran closer to her classmates, and shivered when a rush of cold breeze came. A trail of ice encased the Nomu's side. Akira looked around and found Todoroki a few feet away.

All Might slipped himself from the Nomu's grip, and front flipped away.

Kirishima hurtled at Shigaraki, and snarled, but the man moved away from his attack.

"Darn it! I couldn't show off!" He exclaimed.

"Tch! Don't try anything, you extra." Bakugo smiled menacingly. He was in his element and Akira found it somewhat fascinating, like watching thermite burn and spark.

"You idiots can't kill the Symbol of Peace," Todoroki stated.

Akira looked at him and they met each other's eyes. "Hey, there," she grunted, and walked towards the boys, but winced and fell to her knee again.

"Akira-chan! What the hell happened?" Kirishima exclaimed. _She looks pretty bad. We should've gotten here earlier_.

"Well, you know, I ordered a Happy Meal… got McDeath instead," she quipped, Kirishima helped her up. Todoroki was right beside her now.

"I shouldn't have left you," he said frowning.

"It's not that bad. I'll be sore in the morning though." Akira raised her hand, aiming it at Shigaraki, something akin to a yellow churning nebula danced out of it. "Give up. You've lost. Don't make this difficult."

"Don't you dare move! You foggy piece of shit!" Bakugou bellowed, his hands letting out small eruptions. "I'll blow you up real good if you do."

"Kids these days really are something…" Shigaraki muttered. "You're making us villains look bad."

The Nomu stirred and fell to his knees. The frozen side of his body was shattered to pieces on the ground, but he was still moving. All of them stood agape at the scene, as its flesh slowly reformed his legs and arms back. Its eyes twitched unnaturally in its protruding brain.

 _So, not just burns… Dismemberment as well._ She thought. _That's wicked._

"I thought it had Shock absorption," All Might said.

"Yeah, but that's not all he has… He was created to take you on at your hundred percent. He's a human sandbag… engineered just for you, All Might," Shigaraki declared with wild glee.

Akira switched to a fighting stance once more, when her head buzzed with alarm.

"Now, Nomu… retrieve our warp gate," Shigaraki ordered. The creature's eyes twitched at the one keeping the black mist captive. Bakugou.

Akira looked to the ash blond immediately, forming a force-field to protect him. He would hate her later, but honestly, she didn't care. The force from the Nomu knocked them all away, and Akira couldn't see if her shield did indeed protect Bakugou.

"Kaachan!" Midoriya called out, but found his friend right beside him. _What?_

"Wow, Bakugou. You evaded that?!" Kirishima explained.

"It wasn't me," Bakugou sneered.

They all found his the Symbol of Peace away from them. He had taken the blow meant for Bakugou! He coughed and there was blood dripping from his lips.

"You don't pull your punches, huh?"

"Of course, I was saving a comrade. A while back, that green-haired kid aimed a powerful punch at me," he said then he looked at Akira. "That girl nearly blasted me to pieces and she stabbed Nomu in the face."

The boys all looked at her shocked. "What?" She shrugged.

 _I ain't pissing her off._ Kirishima thought.

Bakugou couldn't help but stare at her. _So the little newbie's got some spunk._

"Using violence to save others. Just an excuse. Such a shitty world we live in. There really is no difference between a villain and a hero, isn't it? I am angry! Violence is just categorized into good or bad, hero or villain. You call yourself the Symbol of Peace. You- you're just-"

"I-I'm sorry. Are you done? Are you done? Is he done?" Akira asked. They all looked at her.

 _Who does she think she is?_ He sneered, but he didn't get a chance to retort.

"You spout a lot of ideology. But you are only doing this for fun, aren't you?" All Might spoke. "Liar. You're deranged. That's what you are."

"You saw through me." He smiled.

"Well… The hand collection had a… hand in it," Akira barbed. The boys looked at her again.

 _Enrage. Destabilize. Defeat._ Akira sang in her head like a mantra. Shigaraki growled at her.

"Three of them against us. That's pretty steep," Todoroki said.

Kirishima hardened himself. "If we support All Might-sensei, this would be easy-"

"No. Get out of here," All Might ordered.

"If I didn't help out, you would've been dead," Todoroki barbed.

"That's right, and thank you for that, Young Todoroki. Now, leave it to me and watch the Pros at work."

"You're bleeding and you're time is-" Midoriya bit back his words, but All Might gave him a thumbs up.

Shigaraki charged at them, and All Might lunged at the Nomu. The force from the Pro-Hero sent a barrage of wind that battered them like straw dolls. Akira conjured force-fields. Her stamina was running out but it was the best she could do. It wasn't enough though. She could still sense the winds that pounded against her shield, and whipped them around.

"What the hell is this?!" She exclaimed. It was a boss battle, through and through. It reminded her of those over-the-top quick time events with an ending ultimate skill.

The very ground beneath her feet shook and danced from All Might's blows. Nomu, at first exchanged blows with him, but soon, could barely move, and the next thing, they were in the air with All Might grappling and throwing him down. Akira's eyes couldn't keep up. Next thing, Nomu was punched outside of the stadium, quaking the whole place once more.

 _He pulled a Team Rocket on that Nomu._ She thought breathlessly. _How? How is that possible?_

"It's like we're in comic book. He punched the Shock Absorption out of him," Kirishima murmured.

"Such insane power…" Bakugou breathed out.

Akira was shocked. There was no aggression in that one line. _I wonder what he sounds like without all the angry._

"Back then, five hits was enough…" All Might huffed but pressed a proud hand to his chest nonetheless, "but this one took three hundred."

At that moment, Akira smirked. She felt safe, and with that, she became more aware of the pain of her injuries. The aches were stronger. The head felt like it was being split open by a hammer. Her broken wrist burned, and so did her torso. She was having difficulty breathing as well.

"Now, it's your turn," All Might challenged Shigaraki.

"You… you cheat," The young man hissed and began scratching on his neck.

 _Like wringing one's hands out anger_ Akira thought. _You're not liking this, aren't you, handyman?_

"What's wrong? Chickening out? Try it, if you can," All Might threatened.

"We should get out of here. We could become burdens if we get taken hostage," Kirishima called out. "Akira-chan is injured, too. Midoriya, come on."

The green-haired boy remained in place, watching his idol.

 _What's wrong, Midoriya?_ Akira couldn't help but ask in her head. _You look scared to death… why?_

Shigaraki was scratching the hell out of his neck, snarling in frustration and anger, like a petulant child. The villains were now getting back up once more.

"How many respawns do you guys have?" Akira groaned exasperated, and before she knew it, there was that ringing in her head again. _Lethal intent_. Aimed at her. Shigaraki was currently barrelling his way towards All Might, but his eyes were on her.

Pissing him off was probably a bad idea. Probably.

A breeze flew by and they were short a person. Midoriya was gone. He had leapt once more to All Might's aid, lightning fast. It was a desperate attempt that had caused both of his legs to break once more.

No, he had so much to ask from him. So much to do. He will not allow this to end!

"Get away from all Might!" He roared as he aimed at the mist.

Shigaraki changed course, shoving his hand into his comrades' warped body. It came right out into Midoriya's face.

"Midoriya!" Akira called out. She could see it happen. Just watch it all transpire.

 _Like you did once… Will you let it happen this time?_ A voice mocked her but she bit back a retort.

With the last of her strength, she leaped high, her energy bursting below her legs in a small jet propulsion. She punched out a huge ball of energy aimed at Shigaraki's protruding hand and the fog's body itself. A hit on anyone of them could save Midoriya. Two birds with one stone.

 _Not on my fucking watch._ She sneered. When she fell, she didn't fall on her feet. Akira staggered and fell down, a marionette whose strings were suddenly cut off.

The blast zoomed right into the mist. The black fog was knocked back with a pained groan. A shot rang out, and a burst of blood sprayed out of Shigaraki's shoulder.

"Akira-chan!" Kirishima called out to her. She was losing consciousness. _Was that a gun?_

"Stupid. You're not well enough to move," she heard Todoroki scold her.

"Don't tell me what to do," she grunted out, but she didn't have a choice but lean on the red-haired boy beside her.

"Oi, oi. We need to get help fast!" Kirishima worriedly fussed.

"I'll live… Not the worst… I've had…" Everything went black for Akira.

Kirishima then carried her in his arms. She was small and warm to his chest, her head pressed to his cheek. There was blood on her face. Akira leaned onto him, moaning softly in pain. There was currently a tornado in his ribcage. She fought well and saved Midoriya. She's as manly as the Pro-Heroes he admired! His face was red, and now seeing her up close, he couldn't help but notice, the little furrowed brow on her face, and her flushed cheeks- NO. Don't do that. He looked away.

"Oi, shit-hair, quit your ogling and get her the hell out of here!" Bakugou exclaimed.

"Y-yeah! Midoriya's hurt. Someone should make sure he's safe!"

 _Don't worry, Akira-chan! You're gonna be fine now._

The Pros were there before they could get to Midoriya. The whole stadium breathed a collective sigh of relief.

* * *

Iida was still shaking. It wasn't fatigue, not from running or using his Quirk. No. He came back to find his classmates and teachers in a worse shape than he left them.

Thirteen's back was ripped apart. Aizawa-sensei was bloodied and broken. Midoriya's legs were fractured, and the Vice President was bruised and unconscious. Kirishima who brought her to the Entrance was panicking.

"Man! She was all beat up when we got to her! I don't know what's wrong. She passed out!" Kirishima exclaimed.

Akira was put on a stretcher to be sent to Recovery Girl. Surprisingly, Vlad King asked to be the one to bring her there. He looked… pained. Iida was not surprised. Akira was more than bruised up close. There was splattered blood on her face from a wound on her head. She had deep gashes on her arms and one of her wrists was purple and broken.

"She's breathing," The principal assured them.

"I should've gotten to you faster," Iida ruefully said.

"No, you did well, Iida-kun," Nedzu told the boy.

"She looked like she got hit by something big," Midnight murmured.

"Yeah! She was like whoosh!" Mineta exclaimed while doing kicks at nothing. "And then pow! And that big bird thing was like 'get wrecked, bitch!' and then she was like 'not today sir!' and blocked him. She went flying!... I thought she died!" Mineta croaked. "But she lived!"

Everyone gawked at him.

"What?! She went against that big thing that tried to kill All Might?!" Kirishima exclaimed.

"Yeah! She fought that weird guy with hands too, and the other villains! She went all Bruce Lee firebender on 'em!" Mineta continued to punch the air.

"Oh! Really?!" Kirishima was impressed.

"Yeah! I saw her! She told me to stay away 'cause I might get attacked! She was awesome!" Tooru gushed. "That big thing was scary though… she got hurt pretty bad."

"Also… Akira… has one hell of an ass!" Mineta screeched. Next thing he knew, two hands were flat on either side of his face, pulling him up and dangling him.

"Mineta-kun! That is disrespectful! Yamaguchi-san will not like that!" Iida scolded.

Away from the group, Bakugou listened in. _Fucking hell, she actually faced that thing…_ He thought. He was both impressed after hearing what she did, and angry that she had the gall to steal his thunder. It wasn't enough that Deku had to be the one to rush in and save All Might. _His speed…_ He growled. Bakugou remembered Ground Beta. _Not just Deku, this time. Even Minty-Hot Bastard. And now, some midget with glowy hands was beating him._

Todoroki, however, was brooding. _Not the worst… I've had._ Those were her words. _So what was the worst?_ No one new to pain would take that beating with grace. It seemed there was more to the quiet yet sardonic Akira. A worthy rival? Maybe. He should watch out for competition.

 _If I was to prove myself to my shitty father… I need to win._ He thought, but out of his determined mind came a whisper. _Is winning like this really make you different from him?_ He frowned.

Meanwhile, the infirmary was crowded. Akira was behind the curtains, unconscious, as Recovery Girl tended to her. The old lady came out and told Vlad she was healing fine much to his relief.

"Vlad, there is something I have to tell you. While I was checking her injuries, I can't help but notice… she has a lot of scars… and they are not recent. About a few years old," Recovery Girl said and shook her head. Vlad paled.

"Someone so young… having scars like those. She must have lived such a precarious life," she added.

"She's a tough kid. I know she's good. I don't know what happened in between those years when she left her home. I want to figure it out," Vlad King told her. There was determination in his eyes.

"For now, let her rest," assured Recovery Girl, patting his arm.

Vlad King left the infirmary with a little less shine in his eyes.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Ignore the reviews I posted** **. A posted a link for a poll as a Thank You for continuously supporting this story. I will be making one-shots/mini fics from this story.**

\- Blighttown is a location in the game, Dark Souls. It is one of the most difficult to traverse and survive in. Basically, it's a murder spree there.

\- Fight scenes are difficult, but I'm doing my best. Akira is very acrobatic, evasive and deceptive, because she can't afford to get hit. She is a smol baby. She could get crushed. Exempli gratia, big things like a fast Nomu would do the trick.

\- Also, I had a guess that Nomu doesn't like heat because he can only take physical blows with his shock absorption. Energy absorption is something else, although he would heal from it. I'm not sure… O_O

-I made a mistake with the order of events leading to Thirteen's injury. I had a feeling there was an error there and I was right indeed when I rewatched. Sorry about that.

 **Hello, HarbingersofWar here!**  
Since you can't copy-paste links in the main story.  
POLL for Extra Fics: harbingersofwar tumblr com (I just posted it here. Space=dots) Freakin hate this url thing.

Poll Rules:  
\- No smut, but beware of certain things like violence, profanity, alcohol consumption etc.  
\- No one is underaged for… reasons.  
\- The characters here are only those the OC has met so far. So, when the next poll comes, a few names would be added. Don't worry!  
\- This will be posted in a separate story and different Parts are expected. I estimate 2-5 parts for the fics.

\- **Choose 2 scenarios. Choose 2 characters to pair OC with. Top 2 gets the first in line to each get a mini-fic of about 2-5 parts**. The Ficlet Collection will be in a separate story. In the next poll, the two characters & scenarios chosen here will not be present in the next poll, but will be in the poll after that, and so on and so forth.

 **Author's message:**

Thank you for the favorites & follows, within a span of about a few weeks and 5 chapters. It's unbelievable. I didn't expect this, truly!

I'm glad that a lot of you guys actually like this fic. It means a lot to me. Now, you guys get to vote for scenarios I've made for Akira. Poor OC, she never gets a day off just to eat some ice cream, play her video games and annoy her uncle.


	6. Chapter VI: It's Quiet Uptown

**Chapter VI: It's Quiet Uptown**

Vlad found Akira outside her room, slumped down against the door with Ryu's head on her lap, both asleep.

Her wounds were healed, thanks to Recovery Girl, leaving her broken wrist in a simple bandage. He should bring that old lady a basket of fruit. She was an angel.

Vlad carefully put his arms under her knees and behind her back and carried her, making Ryu whine at him. "She's not going anywhere," he whispered to the dog, and it padded behind him.

Akira sensing a disturbance, groggily cracked an eye open. "Unhand me… Periodman," she groaned out, swatting her hands around him.

"No, you're going back to sleep. You want me to wake you up early?" He asked.

"No."

"Good choice." He opened the door to her room and carefully settled her on her bed.

Recovery Girl released her from the Infirmary late at night. She would be tired but her injuries were healing well and she should just rest for a day. It had been one hell of an ordeal, and she deserved a lot of sleep. Maybe could extend an olive branch and Vlad could make dinner.

Tomorrow, there would be a meeting. The media had gotten the news of the attack and would be bombarding them with it starting on the evening news. He could care less about what the media has to say, but the safety of the school meant the world to him.

Also, Akira. Just Akira. She barely spoke to him about her vigilante days. Was this because of her? Are they after her?

No. _They wanted All Might. They expected him._ The very thought gave him chills. They had the guts and, with something like the Nomu, the resources to drive the Symbol of Peace into a corner.

The League of Villains meant business.

Vlad King frowned. It was late and he should rest for now. Tomorrow, the fight would begin once more.

* * *

Plans made Akira's life both easy and challenging but it was worth it. People could tell her about how uncertain life was as much as they could, but Akira has been unofficially diagnosed with selective deafness, in that her hearing would dial down to zero around people who whine about not seeing their problems coming.

It was a convoluted way of life, but Akira lived it, and when she planned to leave her family's home behind, all that skill in planning ahead came in handy. She was glad for it. When push came to shove, all she had was everything in her mind. Other people could disappoint her but never herself. It would be a deadly sin.

The plan took at least two weeks, a lot of tutoring and proofreading jobs, and dancing around her parents. _No_ , she didn't tap-dance in front of them (although there had been close instances due to sheer panic).

Now, she must put those skills to use today.

She closed her eyes as she mentally team-huddled herself and focused on the plan.

"Okay, Vlad is asleep. He's a snorer. I can still hear his snore. That means he is sound asleep and won't be waking up until much later for that darn meeting in U.A," she mentally mumbled. _That sounded kinda weird._

 _He's quite a snorer, ain't he? I once mistook it for farming equipment._ She mentally commented.

"You're supposed to be helping me." She groaned at herself. She was still sore all over. Nomus are bad for her health or anyone's health.

"I'll go out, buy the stuff, go to the hospital, leave it there and then come home. Done. An hour at most."

Then she scrunched her nose. _Wait, the traffic. Don't. Forget. About the traffic._

"Add thirty minutes. An hour and a half at most. Okay. Visiting hours would've just started when I arrive there. Perfect. Yes! Perfect!" She mumbled. She should thank her insomnia, but she didn't want to encourage it.

She took a quick shower, changed into a dark grey tank, blue jeans and an unbuttoned grey flannel shirt on top. Akira lost a few minutes trying to look for her sneakers, which made her wince. When she went out, she made sure to put on a cap, just in case. The sun had the annoying habit of playing laser tag on her eyeballs.

Musutafu wasn't a large place. A lot of people there could've been classmates in kinder, met in high school at some point or saw each other at a restaurant. One look around, and she saw a familiar convenience store.

There were a million of these all over the country, yes, but it was familiar because Akira had once passed by the same store ages ago. She was young and the memory was foggy, but she was sure. She paused mid-step when she realized her uncle's neighborhood was close to her former family home.

"Hmm…" This was an opportunity. She had been reluctant before, but for now, she had a mission.

She went into the convenience store, already open at 7:30 in the morning. The cold air made her shiver, and Akira scanned the beverage section.

 _Hmm… Orange… Always the orange one._ She remembered.

She got a whole box of it which had around six 500ml bottles of orange juice, and brought it to the counter.

There was boy there, a few years her senior, who looked like he came right out of The Walking Dead. He was half-alive, in need of nourishment and clearly, today was not his day. Akira lightly tapped the call bell to actually wake him up from his sleepless stupor and handed him the items. She took a pack of gum and gave it to him. Akira winced when she accidentally bumped her injured left wrist against the counter.

"That's 1573 yen," he slurred. Akira couldn't believe he was actually conscious. The whole Godzilla movie could happen outside and he wouldn't even look up. After giving him the money, not wanting to bother whatever void he had fallen into, Akira went out and took a cab.

The ride was fairly short but the cab driver, who seemed to be the talkative grandfatherly type, kept trying to make conversation. She didn't think he was dangerous. She sensed nothing of the sort, but since her Quirk could only sense malice and not the many dangers of socializing in public, she couldn't depend on it.

"You're quite early, ojou-san. Going somewhere? Meet a nice boy?"

"The hospital. I—uhh—I'm visiting a friend, driver-san," she told him.

"Oh? Someone sick? I'm sorry."

"Ahh— no. He's okay—He's—-uhmm," she stuttered. _How do you say he was attacked by a bird-like monster meant to kill the Symbol of Peace?_

"Uhh—- he was attacked by a—- bird." _Nice. Very smooth._

"Oh, he was put in the hospital by a bird? That must've been one ravenous animal."

"Well, I wasn't there. So I'm bringing him his favorite orange juice. Hospital food tastes like death and it's good for immunity."

"Ahh, that's nice of you, ojou-san."

She arrived earlier than usual. The bustle of the streets was already starting to rise like carbonated bubbles, and she was glad she wasn't caught up in it.

Akira disliked hospitals. People always felt they were safe and untouchable in them.

She didn't like the white walls that looked like they would swallow you. No wonder no one ever got better in padded rooms. The whiteness would drive anyone mad.

Also, people always thought the hospital was clean but man, were they wrong. Under a UV Lamp, the whole place would light up brighter than the spirit of Christmas and an 80s night club combined. Akira scrunched her nose with disgust.

 _If I lick the wall, I could probably create the T-Virus for real._

She sighed. _Please don't lick the wall._ Her intrusive thoughts should just go on a vacation and jump into a volcano.

She approached the reception desk, juice bottles in hand. "Good morning, can you tell me where Aizawa Shouta is? I'd like to see him."

"It's still a few minutes before visitation hours…" A brown-haired lady murmured.

"Yes, but _I am_ right on schedule. So can I see him?" Akira pursed her lips. _Please let me in. I can't talk to you right now. It's not in my schedule._

"I—uhhmm—- I think it's fine. The patient is probably asleep," the lady said to her.

"I won't be there long. I just have to leave something for him."

"Oh, okay?" The lady gave her a clipboard. "Please sign your name."

After the little formalities, she went straight to his room. True enough, he was still asleep.

Well, Akira _sensed_ Aizawa's drug-induced slumber, since half his body, including his whole face, was covered in bandages. She could hear his faint slow breathing, and hoped that the sedatives had done their job in not making him aware of anything, his pain, even his dreams, even her.

 _What I'd give to be unaware of anything for a few moments…_ She thought.

 _Well, there was that one time two years ago._ Akira shivered. _Not trying that again…_

She surveyed the room and found the mini-fridge. Akira didn't find his typical orange juice pouch in that convenience store, but found the 500ml bottle version of it, and she actually had enough brain cells this morning to buy him straws. Akira put them in the fridge, fished out her gum and started chewing.

On the table beside Aizawa were a vase of flowers, a huge envelope which Akira guessed were his test results and X-Rays, and a basket of fruit.

She was curious about his medical file but she'd rather not open it. It was too close to him, and it might wake him up instead. The transparent vase, however, wasn't too far to be observed.

It was filled by hydrangeas of mostly pale blue and lavender color. It wasn't too conspicuous, but it did improve the drained reticence of the white room.

She wasn't an expert at gardening, but if she could, she would love English roses in her room. She always loved the chaotic structure of its flower and they came in different shapes, sizes and color. Too bad Akira didn't find anyone growing them around Musutafu.

 _Mom had wine-colored roses at the back of the house._ She remembered and sadly smiled. A few years back, she had asked some to be potted for the veranda in her room, but her mother refused.

"These ones are made to bloom largely outside… They can't stay still in a small pot, Aki-chan. They like to be free," Her mother told her. Akira had pouted. She wanted a plant because she wanted to observe how they flower. She wanted to know how to grow them herself.

Instead of a rose, her mother gave her a hibiscus pot, which Akira had named "Baby" because it didn't have a flower yet. Just a tiny little cutting. Akira had put it outside, with a threatening label:

 **THIS IS AKI-CHAN'S! DO NOT TOUCH or feel AKI-CHAN'S MIGHT!**

Akira's mother taught her that some plants loved the sun more than others, and the hibiscus was one of them. "You have to get to know the plant so you can take care of them properly," she reminded her.

When it started blooming, ten-year-old Akira had been so filled with joy, she had called her mother who was on a business trip. Akira was proud to see something grow from her work, after reading so much into the subject, and making sure the flower was well taken care of. She even kept measurements and polaroid snaps in a tiny notebook for posterity sake. She guarded that hibiscus plant like a dragon would its hoard of gold.

 _I wonder how Baby is… Is it still alive?_

She left after a few minutes of meandering around, even checking if the windows were indeed bolted from the inside.

Her uncle Vlad was still asleep when she got home.

Unfortunately, Aizawa wasn't the whole time.

* * *

 _Five days ago..._

Aizawa's visit to Recovery Girl's office had gone well, in fact, his day was going perfectly. He got a nap in between classes, scared a few troublemakers, patted some cats, which usually meant something horrid was coming his way. Aizawa gulped at the thought.

 _Mic. It's probably Mic_. He hoped. His best friend was easily predictable after knowing him for many years, and most of his problems were due to either his loudness or his need for constant attention.

He was walking to the Faculty room, and, as he turned, saw Midnight striding towards him. _No, no. Death is coming._

"Aizawa, the principal wants to see you in his office," Midnight told him.

"Did he tell what you it's about?"

"Umm, no. But can you tell me about this little pet project his talking about? The one you and Vlad are working on?" She asked. Midnight paused and surveyed him.

"What?" Aizawa drawled.

"So it _was_ a bruise..." She pointed at his now healed forehead. "Come on, tell me! Who gave it to you? Hizashi's been going on about your last mission, but he wouldn't tell us what really happened."

Aizawa groaned. He didn't want to talk about it.

Vlad King and he had been assigned to a mission of the utmost confidentiality and importance. A crime lord who they had been trying to track down for years had been sighted. Their mission however was the run-of-the-mill head syndicate, but the beast that has taken their scent. Aizawa had only thought the vigilante a rumor until the police made it known to him.

"The number of attacks barely count to ten. But the number of casualties in each… The victims… what happened to them. They all tie together. This was done by one person," one detective disclosed.

The mission was to hit two birds with one stone: arrest a crime lord whose body count is as tall as Mt. Fuji and a vigilante who is responsible for multiple counts of physical assault, amongst other things. Although all those victims have had rap sheets taller than All Might, it was still a crime.

It was a grim night in the last few days of March, when the operation was finally given the go-signal. It was swift and unexpected, even the goons barely had time to react. As the mission came to a close, the vigilante struck. Aizawa had expected a deranged masked menace hell-bent on their own twisted sense of justice.

He didn't expect a fifteen-year-old girl who also turned out to be his colleague's estranged niece.

In the end, the vigilante named Akira Yamaguchi, something he later found out from Vlad, escaped through the fray. His colleague was mortified. They tracked her down

In short, Aizawa Shouta was sighing his soul out by the time the whole skirmish ended.

"Just a bruise. I'm fine now. Can we please just get this over with?" He said.

"Oh, don't be so grumpy. Anyway, I have to go. Classes are beginning tomorrow. Have lots to do! Wish you luck!" She said to him and started walking. He harrumphed at her and went on his way to the Principal's Office.

"Good Morning, Aizawa-kun. Have some tea," Nedzu greeted him with a smile, his fur glinting with a new exuberance.

"It's okay. What is this about, Nedzu-san?"

"Right to the point, huh? Well, this is about that mission you went to a few days ago. I was told you encountered a certain... character. A vigilante?"

"Yes, she was a troublesome kid. I take it Vlad told you."

"Yes, he did. And I have decided… to invite Miss Yamaguchi here," Nedzu said and poured himself a cup of tea.

"What? Are you sure about this?"

"Yes, in fact, I am putting her in your class, Aizawa-kun. It is perfect."

"Perfect? How is bringing a vigilante to U.A gonna do any good?"

"U.A is a school for heroes. I am quite sure from your experience being a hero is being more than one's desire to become one. It takes a drive, a push to turn a normal citizen into the heroes we have today."

"I know that, but what does that have to do with Yamaguchi?"

"Have you ever asked yourself why vigilantes chose to become... vigilantes?"

Aizawa merely eyed him as he considered his question.

"Society has a way of creating-no-changing people when a certain… situation or need arises. When Quirks started to appear worldwide and in drastic rates, crime rose and chaos was threatening to overcome the current rules back then," Nedzu said and took a sip from his cup.

"Villains, criminal organizations, the worst, started to rise from their hiding places, because they can, because they had the strength, because there was no authority or force that could keep them in line… Then the heroes emerged, to counter that growing darkness. To balance it."

Nedzu approached him, hands behind his back. "So… What societal need do the vigilantes serve?... If the heroes are already there, why do they exist? If becoming a hero is what it all takes to keep the villains in line, why are vigilantes there?... You've met a few, have you?"

Aizawa nodded at him. "Yes, but most of them were people who didn't want to take the longest route because they wanted the position the easy way. All for the attention. They weren't trying to help anyone except for themselves." They were mostly fans who thought becoming a hero could get their idol's attention. It was wrong.

"Yes, that's understandable. This Yamaguchi Akira… What category does she belong? Is she doing this for herself? Or… Tsukauchi-san was nice enough to lend me some of the interview tapes. You've fought her before, right?"

"Yes, more than once. I had the bruises to prove it," Aizawa winced, and the Principal chuckled.

"So that was because of her. Vlad was very apologetic about it. She is very… interesting."

 _Cats._ That was the first word she said to him. _"Cats. You like them."_

In four words, she had unravelled a small piece of his secrets.

"So back to the question, which is she?" Nedzu waited for his answer, and Aizawa heaved a sigh.

"I can't quite get a read on her. She's stubborn and has a mind of her own… but she's the real deal. Not a fan. She's not doing it for attention. No. I have a theory, but I can't seem to find evidence to prove it," Aizawa admitted, rubbing his neck.

"What theory?"

"That there is more to this than just… weeding out the typical bad guys," he said to the Principal and frowned. "When I caught her, beating up the crime boss himself, she was… asking him questions… All I heard was something about Human Trafficking and where their merchandize goes after they capture them."

"Hmm… Maybe you are right… If you really want to start finding the truth, I suggest you ask the person who was once a part of her life," Nedzu advised him.

"Vlad…"

* * *

 _Present day_

"Can I take Ryu out for a walk?" Akira asked her uncle.

"Yeah, but can you even control him? He is a _huge_ dog," Vlad said to her.

"Oh, that's easy. I just do this." Akira waved her hand and a small of yellow light the size of laser-pointer appeared on the floor in front of Ryu. The bulldog then started to chase it, pawing and whining on the ground.

"See… He does my bidding," Akira grimly chuckled.

"You little witch… Okay, just be back before dinner."

Akira changed back into her jeans earlier and in another shirt. She heard padding paws behind her. Ryu was there with his leash on his mouth, whined and tilted his head. Akira bent down and took the leash from him.

"Uncle trained you really well, huh, Ryu?" She rubbed his head. "Hey, you have my back, don't you?" The dog gave her an enthusiastic bark and a lick. That was all she needed. Akira smiled and walked to the door after clipping the leash on Ryu's collar.

"You know the way to the park, right?" Her uncle asked, eating a sandwich.

"Yes, yes, I'll come back here-alive, bye." She left immediately, dog in tow. It would be incredibly difficult otherwise.

Her uncle gave her a quizzical look and merely shrugged.

The walk to the park was a quiet one and within ten minutes, she was now surrounded by a small patch of trees, benches and an even a few school children and their teachers meandering about.

It was peaceful, just sitting down on the bench, breathing and caressing Ryu's head on her lap. Then, her stomach growled.

It wasn't even close to a growl. She could compare it properly to a demonic presence currently playing an aggressive solo on the trombone to announce its arrival. In her hurry to leave her uncle's constant mothering and crying-dying thirteen consecutive times replaying Dark Souls III, she had forgotten to grab a bite.

"Let's get something to eat, Ryu. I'm starvin'," she muttered to the dog, and it followed her when she stood up.

They had to cross a street to get to a group of stores, and there, Akira found herself on the crossroads of destiny.

 _Takoyaki or French fries?_

She groaned. She'd like both, but her mind and her tongue were telling her to slow down a bit. Also, she couldn't possibly bring both boxes without the chance of spilling them, and using her Quirk was out of the question.

She looked at Ryu. _Seafood is bad for d-_

"Can I have the largest order of fries?" She told the cashier lady and gave Akira a confused look. "Cheese-flavored, by the way."

"O-Okay, coming right up. Just take a seat on that gazebo over there." The lady instructed.

When she sat down, she patted Ryu on his head. "We're gonna share alright. If you've lived long enough with Uncle Vlad, you'd like cheese. He could probably eat a cheese wheel mid-battle." Ryu whined at her.

"Here's your fries, miss," the lady announced bringing a huge wax paper bowl with her potato fries sticking out. Akira's eyes widened a bit. It was a bucket meal version of fries. No wonder the lady thought she was joking.

"Can you get me a bottle water?" She asked and gave her the money.

The lady left and as she waited for her drink, she fished out her wireless headphones from her bag, and listened to some piano ballads. Ryu's ears then perked up when the waitress came back with two bottles of water.

"Thanks," Akira said to her and she smiled meekly.

"Y-yeah, happy to serve." The lady stuttered and walked away hurriedly

Ryu let out a tired ruff, and Akira looked at him. "What? I was being polite."

The paper bowl of potato fries still had steam misting out of it, and was drizzled with bright yellow-orange cheddar. Akira made a mistake of immediately picking up the fries.

It was hot. It was hellfire straight right out of the Devil's anus. Like the genius she is, her first instinct was to put it in her mouth. Akira started coughing and blowing out as much air as she could, trying to cool the burning coal of starch in her mouth.

Maybe this was what being a dragon really felt like. No wonder they always seemed so murderous. If one had to burn one's mouth out, it had to be worth it, like incinerating one's enemies.

As she choked, she became vaguely aware of a presence behind her, followed by Ryu's low growls. A familiar scarred hand handed her the bottle of water from the table.

"You're supposed to blow on it," the voice drawled.

Akira immediately unscrewed the cap and gulped the water down. "Wow, biggest mistake of my life," Akira gasped out. _Besides getting arrested._

It was the stranger from the grocery store, the one who stopped her from causing a cereal dogpile. He was tall so she had to crane her head up to properly see him. He was about to sit beside her but they were both reminded of her other companion growling at him.

"Shh, I'm fine. I'm okay," whispered Akira and rubbed his back to calm Ryu. He lay down once more on the decorated cobbled ground. She looked as the man sat beside her. "That was the second time you've helped me out. Thanks."

"That would've been a rough way to go," he ruefully said.

"You're right," she chuckled a bit, and took a drink from her bottled water. "I never got your name… sir?"

"Hey, I'm not that old," he scoffed, "it's Dabi. Call me Dabi."

"Okay… Dabi." The name was a lie. Akira knew that, but he answered quickly as if it was something he normally did, lying. Or was it just his name he has to hide?

"Akira… Yamaguchi Akira," she introduced herself.

"Okay, Yamaguchi-san, you alone out here?"

"Yeah, just taking a walk with Ryu here."

"That's a lot of fries for one person." He pointed at the paper bowl.

"Well, I am hungry, and I am sharing this with Ryu. You can have some." Akira offered. There was a lot of fries. It could probably feed four people. She didn't mind ever sharing food with anyone.

"Y-you don't mind?" _Did he just stutter?_

"No," she answered, "but blow on it first. We don't want a repeat performance."

"Heh, heat doesn't get to me." He shifted his eyes at her. "Aren't you supposed to be in class or something?"

"I don't have school today," Akira answered and picked up a fry. "Something came up." _A terrorist group tried to kill us and the Symbol of Peace. I got beat up by a bird beast jacked up on steroids and hatred._

"What happened to your wrist?" He asked this time, pointing at her bandaged limb.

"I sprained it in-uhh-class," she stammered. Well, it wasn't a lie.

"That must've been one hell of a class," he said and shoved a couple of fries in his mouth.

"It was. I learned a lot of things despite my injury."

It wasn't small talk. She never fancied it. Akira never asked about the weather. Dabi never asked the damnable "how's it going" question. Thirty-two minutes of talking about the things she had never thought about asking anyone. For a short time, Akira was contented.

"You've got a problem with piercings?" Dabi raised his eyebrow at her. He had noticed the way she would tilt her head as she looked at him.

"No, I do have them on my ears, and I occasionally wear them. It's not an everyday occurrence though," Akira said, while lightly pinching her soft lobule. "I have this… phobia, you could call it, that someone or something could grab them and it just… rips it off." Akira shivered.

"That's definitely gross." Dabi winced.

"What made you want piercings?" Akira asked, and looked at him.

Now that he was close, she could see him clearly. His eyes were bright blue, turquoise, she guessed, and it reminded her of the clear blue sea. For a few moments, she thought she heard the sound of water lapping and churning against the seashore behind her ears. She blinked back the sensation and Akira heard him sigh.

"Well, someone used to tell me I couldn't do a lot of things… That I wasn't tough enough," said Dabi. Akira could swear there was a hint of anger in him. It buzzed and rung the air like tiny little bells only she could hear.

"You have proved him wrong then," she said to him. "There was that one time when I was… twelve, I think. I was called to the Principal's office, and so were my parents."

"You don't look like the troublemaker type," he commented.

"Hey, I wasn't causing trouble." Akira raised her hands defensively. "I was-uhh-called to the office for speaking against my English language teacher. He said that I shouldn't be using words that are too advanced for me. That I should keep to my age group. He gave me a C in an essay."

"Ahh, Figures. You're that type of classmate who sits at the back of the class, partially asleep and correcting the teacher. That's you, right?" He chuckled. Akira glowered at him and he found it amusing. Dabi's lips quirked into a faint smile.

"Oi, you mocking me?" _He got that right. But it was more partially dead than asleep._ "He was just pouty because I kept correcting his grammar in class. He misspelled words and when I kindly corrected him, he gave me less points. Grumpy little shit," she hissed, and her face hardened. "I worked hard on that essay. Every time I got a good score in anything, until now… I think of him."

"You're quite the perfectionist, are you?" Dabi commented.

"I was taught to do my best. That, Dabi, is exactly what I'll do," she proudly stated and "clinked" their water bottles. She saw the watch on her right wrist and gasped. "Oh, I have to go somewhere."

"D'you want me to come with you?" Dabi winced a bit the moment the words came out of him. He shouldn't have asked that. He shouldn't even be here, and yet… _Let her go. You can't have this._ He thought. _You can't be anyone's friend._

Akira looked at him and considered his offer. Not sensing anything wrong from Dabi, she nodded. "Yes, but only to the mall."

He understood. "That's fine. I have to be somewhere as well." They both stood up and Ryu padded closer to her. "Lead the way, smart girl."

Akira led him to a nearby strip mall. There weren't many people in them but it had been an hour after the typical class dismissal, so a few students were strewn about, walking with their friends.

Akira tied Ryu's collar to a nearby lamppost and started to fish something out of her shoulder bag. Dabi raised an eyebrow at the object she took out. It was a small sign that said: DO NOT PET DOG. PLEASE JUST DON'T.

"Has he bitten anyone?" Dabi asked.

"Uhh–no. But he has aggressively cuddled someone." She gave Ryu a final pat before they both started to walk to a nearby shop. Her uncle had told Akira a little tale of lunging at unsuspecting Present Mic, trying to play with his spiked up blond hair.

Dabi found himself shifting on his feet. In this place full of life, he was but a charred corpse, burnt up and scarred, and he wondered if Yamaguchi was stupid or lacking a sense of danger or partially blind. He felt out of place, like a morbid splattered painting in the middle of bright lights and vivid watercolor, but Yamaguchi was unperturbed with his presence. Instead, she would ask him if she had been a bother, which he thought was the most surprising question anyone's ever asked him.

They both arrived at a small quaint flower shop, with little flower boxes and bouquets lined up, displayed openly in front. It was a situation Dabi never thought he could find himself in. He chuckled inwardly. _A cereal box started this. Unbelievable._

The old lady tending the shop seemed to have a plant-type Quirk, since her skin was green and little yellow daffodils sprouted out of her hair. She looked like an elder wood nymph who would give sage advice for someone's player quest. _A new hand touches the… No. Wait… No._

The old lady smiled sweetly at Akira and the latter, not used to attention, paused and nearly turned back.

"Oh, how can I help you today?" She greeted.

"Umm, do you have roses? The red or white ones?" Akira asked, and the lady gave her a knowing smile. _What? What did I do? Did I ask wrong?_

"You know typically it's the boy who'd buy flowers, but times have changed. I know a few men who loved flowers. There's nothing wrong with that," she said, trying to assure the girl.

Akira gawked at her. Dabi tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at the lady.

"W-what? N-no. No. I-It's not like that. He's an acquaintance. I just want this for the living room," Akira stammered, looking anywhere but the old lady.

"Oh, I see," The lady said cheekily. "Well, I ran out of them for the day," she told Akira, "but if you want something to spice up your living room, these would look well in a vase as a centerpiece," The lady suggested and gestured toward a whole array of many colored tulips and large white lilies with pale golden stripes and miniscule dusting of spots.

Hearing the words, something clicked in her head. "The lilies. Just half a dozen."

"Ahh, good choice, ojou-san," the old lady complimented and began her work.

Dabi leaned closer to her. "Why not the tulips? They've got more color." _Isn't that what girls liked?_

"Well, color is great and all, but tulips are toxic to dogs and cats. Lilies are really bad for cats, too, but I haven't heard of anyone's dog dying from it. And I don't have a cat. Not anymore anyway," she explained.

"So you're a pet person?"

"You could say that. I used to have a tegu. Now my older brother is the one taking care of him. He's not really hard to handle though so that's fine."

"Huh? What's a tegu?" Dabi asked.

"It's a lizard. They look like moody, wingless, mini-dragons who think they could rule the world by eating through a melon," she said.

Ben the Argentine tegu was her silent best friend, who showed his constant displeasure by sticking his tongue out at opportune moments, like picture taking. He also had a habit of staring her down judgingly. She missed the scaly guy.

Whilst her home in Akita was full of furry beings, like her dad's dogs and her mom's cat, a tiny Munchkin named Cherry, Akira chose a reptile to be her first pet. Her mom had been scared at first.

"But they look like dragons and they're not actually dangerous, mom." She remembered saying that when she was ten. After being reassured by the vets in that shop, Akira went home with a new friend. He liked chopped up tomatoes, shaved up squash and fish. When she left home, she put a message on his cage on his preferred food and care. She wondered if Ben could even remember her if they see each other again.

"Here are your lilies." The old lady handed her wrapped her flowers. "Remember, to change the water daily and don't put it where there's too much sunlight. They wilt really fast that way."

"Yes, thank you," she said and left with Dabi. "She was nice."

"Y-yeah. I guess, I'll be going now," He said to her. "I'll be seeing you around then."

"Umm, sure. I don't usually walk with strangers, but… thanks. For today," she said sincerely.

He smirked at her and started walking away. Dabi waved his hand not looking at her, not wanting to see those gold eyes at him. Eyes that seemed to pull something out of his chest.

She was kind to him.

He could mock her for it, for talking to a stranger, for sharing her time and fries with him, but he seemed unable to. Dabi could call her naive, then her eyes would fall on him. They seemed to search him and know him. Maybe she had some idea of what he is.

Dabi scoffed. He was thinking too much. This unrepentant, apathetic world would soon burn with all its false heroes with it. But there was a voice, soft and strange, yet still his own, whispered to him. _And watch her burn? Watch everyone you know burn?_

Meanwhile, Akira went home with a faint smile on her lips. Ryu walked behind her, tongue flapping around.

"Hey, you're both back," Vlad King said and Ryu ran up to him, giving her uncle a loud excited bark. He eyed the bundle in her arms. "Nice flowers."

"Well, they would go well with your wooden dining table," she said. She didn't want to risk Ryu sticking his nose into the flowers.

"I'll be back down to help you. Let me just change." She started to go upstairs.

When she was alone in her room, she pulled her phone out. Her uncle wasn't the eavesdropping type so she was fine. She clicked on Ken's number and waited.

"Hello? Aki-chan?" His voice answered.

"Hey, Ken."

"My God! Aki! I heard about the whole USJ incident! How are you?" He exclaimed and Akira nearly threw the phone away.

"I am fine." She grimaced. "There's something I have to ask. Are you free anytime this week?"

"Well, this weekend actually. I'm giving the guys a day off so we'll be back the day after. Why?"

She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she slowly breathed in and breathed out.

"Aki, you okay?"

"Yes, can you accompany me to-my family home? Just the two of us?" She asked.

"Umm, okay? You're coming back, huh? You never liked the idea. You always told me you had a bad feeling about it every time I suggeste-"

"Yes, I remember what I said, but it was a mistake following a gut feeling. I should've paid the place a visit a long time ago," Akira interrupted. "The place should give me answers. Mom and Dad wouldn't tell it to my face… but I know it's something about my home here. I think it's where all of it started. My nightmares."

"Okay, plan up. We'll talk more, okay? Think hard. If we do find answers there… I doubt it would be anything good. Are you… really sure?" He asked her worriedly.

"Whatever it takes. I need to know."

* * *

"Sorry, I haven't recorded for a while," spoke Akira to her microphone. "It's not even bedtime yet but I have to say this now… while the thoughts are fresh."

"I now have… every intention to come back to my former home here in Musutafu. I have expressed dislike-scratch that-I have expressed utter discomfort in my former recordings, when it comes to going back there. Living in Tokyo, I was very close to Musutafu. It was about an hour and a half ride there and yet… as much as Ken has suggested, I never want to go there," she scoffed.

Akira sighed. "But I remember it… pieces of it. And that road. And that girl. The girl whose identity my parents have denied me," she hissed. "I hope to find it there."

"I'm fucking scared. I can't deny that. I have pushed that back but I could say, it hasn't been a wise choice. I admit that there are somethings no book, no data could ever touch. Call it intuition. A gut feeling. I would be stupid if I don't understand that. Every bit of my–uhh–intuition is telling me to take this slow… But I feel like I am running out of time." She paused. "I always am. Running out of time."

Akira cleared her throat. "Anyway, on a lighter note, I met a stranger today. He kinda helped me out a few days back. He prevented a tragedy," she chuckled, "I would hate to be memorialized as the girl who got buried under a load of cereals."

"He didn't seem too friendly. A bit… far away. Like he isn't there at all, but better company than most of the acquaintances I've made in years. I hope to meet him again someday. Maybe more fries, too." She smiled sadly. "That's if I'll see him again."

"Aki!" Her uncle called from downstairs. "I'm making dinner, you wanna help?"

"Yeah, sure!" She replied.

"I have to end this. 'Til my next recording."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Belated Halloween or Samhain to you all! I got sick for a few days and with a bit of sleep, medicine and due to the occasion, a hefty amount of horror movies, I am now well.

About the poll, it's going to be there until I post the first chapter of those AU stories, which will happen in between the tenth and twelfth chapter.

Which means, it's going to be there for a long time. So vote! Vote! VoTe!

Current Character Tally in Order of Votes: (Top Two are in bold.)

 **Bakugou Katsuki- 20**

 **Todoroki Shouto- 19**

Kirishima Eijirou- 13

Dabi- 12

Aizawa Shouta- 8

Iida Tenya- 4

Yaoyorozu Momo- 4

Ashido Mina- 3

Tokoyami Fumikage- 3

Uraraka Ochako- 1

Shigaraki Tomura- 1

Current AU Tally in Order of Votes:

 **Coffee Shop AU- 14**

 **Bookstore AU- 8**

College Professors AU- 7

Meiji Restoration AU- 6

Medieval Fantasy (European) AU- 5

Arranged Marriage (Game of Thrones crossover) AU- 4

 **If you haven't voted go to: harbingersofwar tumblr com**

 **Look for the First Ultrabright Poll link I posted there. Also follow my tumblr for extra content, memes, character profiles etc. for my fanfic works. It's only recent so bear with me.**

The title is basically because it's a prelude to something bigger, the U.A Sports Festival. The same way Hamilton's grief in It's Quiet Uptown was a prelude to the Election of 1800. This was Akira's quiet time, and she will not be getting that for a while after this.

Up Next… _Chapter VII: A Dog Called Ego_


	7. Chapter VII: A Dog Called Ego

**Chapter VII: A Dog Called Ego**

"So… basically Turducken is bird meat Frankenstein…" Akira murmured, watching a fast food chain. She shook her head. "We keep this up, we're gonna have a Planet of the Apes situation on our hands…" _Imagine turkeys…_ The human race wouldn't stand a chance.

"They're just birds, Aki," her uncle said while working on his files on the dinner table.

"Wrong. Turkeys… they're Sweeney Todd with wings and more murder. I wanna eat them all with really sweet sauce… And some nice Chianti." _Eat them before they eat me._

At that moment, Vlad considered calling an exorcist. "You're not old enough to drink wine." He stood up and checked on her. _She's moody today, isn't she?_

Akira was curled up on the couch, covered in a small floral kilt. With her knees to her chest, she looked even smaller, taking up less than half the couch.

"The wine won't know, uncle Vlad. The wine won't know." Akira scooted over and felt the couch sink with Vlad's weight.

"You okay? You've been quiet since you came back from walking Ryu. Did something happen?" Vlad asked.

"Nothing happened. I am just tired," Akira lied. There was a heaviness in her head. Her conversation with Ken had wrought her mind with unending questions. "Also, my wrist feels a bit sore."

"What about some painkillers? Recovery Girl gave me some—"

"That's a bad idea. No, I will not self-medicate." She didn't want a repeat of two years ago. "But you can help me with something."

"What? No, I will not play Dark Souls with you again," her uncle groaned.

Akira laughed. "I haven't seen a grown man rage like that before. It was interesting. For a second there I thought you were gonna do some aggressive air guitar skills, but that's not what I am asking."

"What then?"

"Let me in on the Stain cases. There's a lot of juicy stuff there." Akira smiled menacingly.

"No. No. No. NO. That was one time. I shouldn't even be showing those files to you," he said. "And please don't talk about the case like that… It's really… disconcerting."

"So? Come on, just show me more of them. Did you tell the police about what I told you?" Akira said and she sat up from her former position.

"About the whole 'he's not as crazy as we thought he was', well, believe it or not, you're not the first who said that. We just need more than that to get to—"

Akira immediately stood up and strutted to the dining table covered in files. Her uncle, still adamant in keeping her away, strode with his long legs towards her. He barely got there in time with her hand about to pull out the topmost pile. He stopped her from opening it with his large hand smacking on the folder.

"Come on. Just one folder. Just one and then I won't ask anymore. It's a promise," she said. "You know, I'm only trying to help." Akira frowned at him.

Vlad pouted. "Fine. Just the one, okay?" He scanned the folders. He didn't want to accidentally give her the "juicy stuff" like the body parts and stab wounds. He'd really like to keep his niece sane.

"Here," he said and handed her a small envelope that said: STAIN MESSAGES. "Tell me something about this."

Akira opened the envelope with the restrained enthusiasm of a trained puppy. Inside were photographs of typewritten letters believed to be from Stain. Most were, oddly enough, written in English.

"You guys got letters from him? Who did he send it to?"

"The police got some of 'em, the media and even Hero Agencies, particularly his victims'… Does it matter… who he sends them to?" He asked, his face turning pensive.

"Yes. It could tell us about whose… attention he's trying to get. Stain seems like a very angry man," she commented and began to read from one of the letters.

 _This is Stain. The one responsible for the wounds of that hero in the Red Lights District alley. The one who bled that hero dry behind that bar in Tokyo. They didn't even see me coming and now they are both impalled by my blades and their incompetence._

 _The Heroes you looked up to are pretentious, nave-like and false. They could've got to me if they are as strong as they tell all of us. They could've easily caught me if they were truly doing their jobs, but I found them both swimming in drunkness and stupor. Now, I will have to kill again._

 _You media who crown them with such false praise. You will have your share of the pain. You have allowed them to be fat and weak in the face of society, and society lets them. All because they are heroes._

 _The Hero name is nothing but a joke. I am Stain and I mean to purge this world of these "heroes"._

 _P.S: The media lies to you. Keep watch and keep your eyes open. No one is safe. Not even your heroes. The streets will run red._

"Freaky, isn't it?" Vlad murmured.

"Freaky? You mean his inconsistent tenses. His appositives need work. And he misspelled some of the words…" Akira murmured, missing the quizzical look Vlad was giving her.

"The guy kills and maims people for a past time and you make fun of his spelling? You need your priorities straight," he scolded.

"I wasn't making fun. I was merely pointing it out. These are salient points even your police could notice," she countered.

"Yeah, they did notice that. They also noticed that he used big words, despite the mistakes. So it meant he was well-educated," he informed her, and she looked to him. They had both taken a seat beside each other.

"Well, they're quite right. Also, he's very melodramatic. Definitely the showman type of person. A bit wordy, too," she mumbled with her finger rubbing on her chin.

"Melodramatic and wordy?" Vlad asked with disbelief.

"Yes, he could've just said 'heroes suck balls' or 'heroes are liars' but no," Akira commented, "he uses three words and— 'nave-like'? I mean, it's a mistake, yeah, it's spelled with a K. Still, you don't use those words everyday."

"So what you're basically saying is that Stain is a–uhh–a drama queen?" Vlad asked. _Where is she getting these from?_

"Well, he's more like the type of person who writes a really long review for bad service… He wants people to… look at him. He's like 'hey people, this is wrong. Don't let them get away with it. They're not what you think they are. Look at me!… Look at me." _Look at me._ Akira paused, eyebrows scrunched together.

"What? What?" Vlad poked her. _She's gone. She has passed our view._

"He's done this before," Akira whispered, finger tapping on her lip and a haze upon her eyes.

"He's done this before," she repeated. She gave him the envelope back and walked to the stairs.

"W-what? Done what before?" Vlad asked. She was rambling now but he knew better than to dismiss them. She was now ascending through the stairs.

"Hey, Aki? Done what exactly?" Akira rolled her eyes and craned her neck at him.

"Rant!"

* * *

"Mwwwwaahh!"

The fatigue settled in and all Akira could do was sigh. Recovery Girl's Quirk was a blessing, but the after effect was calling her right into the arms of sleep.

"Is your wrist still hurting?" Recovery Girl asked.

"It's a bit sore… like a little throbbing pain," Akira answered. "Are my bones okay now?"

"Yes, but just to be safe, let's keep the bandage on for now," she said as she check the stretchable binding on her wrist. "Also, are you allergic to…painkillers? Your uncle said that you wouldn't take them?"

"I just get a bit–uhh–" Akira shifted her eyes away for a second, "–uhh–dizzy…"

"But if it ever gets worse, just come to the clinic and I'll give you a mild painkiller. It's not that strong so I think it won't affect you much."

"Okay, thanks, Recovery Girl."

"Anytime, dear."

The quiet walk to her classroom filled Akira's mind with apprehension. Ken had texted her that morning, telling her they would push through this weekend, if she was sure to go there.

 _Oh, I am sure._ Akira, honestly, couldn't fathom her fear and Ken's worry. There was a stirring in her gut. She was nervous to go back there, of course. It held memories, faded and washed out, but they were real, and the inquisitive nature of her mind called out to it.

When she got to her door, she could hear voices behind it, energetic and fast-paced. It sounded like Iida and a few others. _Punctual, as always._ She slid the door open and found all eyes on her.

"Umm—Good morning—AAAH!" She screeched when Tooru lunged at her and wrapped her arms around her waist.

"Akira-chan! You're okay now!" Tooru cheered. "We were so worried. You were hurt really bad. Kirishima-kun had to carry you to the Entrance."

Now that… she didn't remember. She remembered being in pain, her sides were aching, her wrist was killing her. She remembered falling unconscious.

"Kirishima, huh?"

Iida was then fast gliding towards her, arms sharply swinging. He stopped about a feet where she was, lip trembling.

"A-Akira-san," he gulped, face flushed. "I'm sorry!" He exclaimed and startled Akira when he bowed. "I should've gotten help faster. The class and the teachers were injured because of my incompetence. Please forg–"

"Stop, what are you doing?" Her eyes shifted to Tooru. "What is he doing? Why is he apologizing?" She looked at him again, bowing to her in a perfect 45-degree angle. It was impressive.

"Iida, don't apologize. If I get injured fighting someone, it's probably my fault. I have a lot to work on. You can't possibly blame yourself for the villain's actions," Akira assured him.

"But–"

"No buts. It's done. We're all alive. You brought back help and that matters more," she firmly said to him. _Does he need the paramedics?_ She thought. His back must be hurting. "Iida?"

Iida remained bowed for a few seconds and straightened himself. Akira started to walk towards her chair and paused when she was beside the tall boy. "It's okay, Iida," she whispered to him and gave him an awkward pat on his arm and went to her chair.

"See, I told you. You've got nothing to worry about, pres," Tooru said behind her. Akira waved at Momo and the girl smiled at her, then felt the eyes of someone else.

Bakugou eyed Yamaguchi and when the latter and he met eyes, he groaned with irritation and looked away. Akira hummed and gave him a glaring side-eye, then continued walking on to her chair and finally, settling on it. Hearing Tooru's words, she quirked an eyebrow.

"Worry about what?" Akira asked.

"Well, Iida-kun was just… worried about you and all," Tooru whispered or pretended to whisper, hands pressed to her face. For some reason, she could sense her wiggling her eyebrows, which was an absurd thought.

"It's only natural, Tooru. We were attacked by terrorists. On a school day. It was such a… drag." _Speaking of drag…_ Akira wondered if Aizawa would be back today. She doubted it. His injuries were from healed. If he came in today, she owed him much more than six bottles of juice.

"Akira-san, how are your injuries?" Momo asked.

"It's fine. It hurts a bit but it's healed. Recovery Girl's Quirk makes me sleepy though," she answered. She observed her hand, turning the bandaged limb over and over.

"Oh, I see. Mineta said something about you fighting that… what was it called?" Momo scrunched her brows.

"A Nomu?"

"Yes! That's it! That must've been scary," she said, leaning close, "what was it like? To fight such as a villain?"

 _Scary. Exhilarating. Intriguing._ If the situations were much more favorable to her, a few more words with that Shigaraki Tomura would've given her more insight. The Nomu itself was an interesting creature albeit sickening in appearance. How it came to be was something she wanted to find out.

But she found herself unable to say those three words. In prior experience, such answers ended up with such unfortunate reactions from the audience.

 _Why would they be different?_

"It was painful but the Nomu was big so it was understandable," Akira said to Momo.

"I wish I was a lot like you. You seemed to be so calm despite what happened and your injuries… I couldn't help Kaminari when he was held up by one of the villains. Jirou-san and I were cornered because of it."

"They're alive. That's all that matters," she assured Momo. "It wasn't your fault that we were in that situation anyway."

"I see…" Momo sighed. "I feel inadequate. I am a recommended student if you didn't know. And I feel as if I am not meeting the expectations of such a privilege… and… " She fidgeted.

Akira tilted her head as she observed Momo. "And? What?" She was curious now.

"And… I think I hope you can help me someday… as a training partner of sorts…" She continued and Akira merely gawked. At that moment, she was sucked into an episode of introspection.

Akira was a novice when it came to giving "emotional support", which was basically Akira repeating the most rational, the most obvious point of the situation, but in her short life, her emotional support came down to a two-path result.

Exhibit A, where the so-called "emotional support" made the subject of such support angry and called Akira rude or cold for telling the most obvious fact.

Example, when a classmate's hamster had died of its owner's carelessness and they were now put off with the thought of getting another pet. Akira hearing such words of regret immediately told them to rejoice.

"You should be happy. Your pet's negligent death has put such an impact in your mind. Or else, you would be participating in another round of animal abuse." Her exact words.

Yuki had been quite angry at her when she heard. "That wasn't nice," she said. "When people tell you to 'use your words', this isn't how you do it."

"What? It was true. He didn't know how to take care of it. Why would he have a pet in the first place?" _What was so wrong with what she said? Why was it wrong when it was true?_

Exhibit B, Akira's "emotional support" ended up with her buried in tutorials, group studies and becoming the class helpdesk which was ridiculous. She should be the last person to ask help from based on the prior exhibit. But no one was deterred, and it seemed the universe liked pissing Akira off.

Conclusion, her "emotional support" ended up with Akira either being called a psychopath or a fount of forbidden knowledge.

Momo had taken Exhibit B.

It was amazing. The pattern held. Yuki was right. Some of her philosophies should be in a dissertation or pamphlet or something.

"Please, Akira-san…" Momo said, lip quivering.

Akira groaned and held her breath. _Damn this. Damn my feeble heart for this._

"Fine. Fine. Okay," she said to Momo, who beamed and clapped her hands, making the people in front curious as to what they were whispering about.

"Yes, thank you, Akira-san."

She looked up to the ceiling and imagined it a sky. _Why hast God given me such tribulations?_ She asked. A thought answered back that sounded so much like those gaming companies.

 _Exclusive content not available for non-members._

The door slid open and Akira looked up to see Kirishima and Kaminari step inside. Kirishima scanned the classroom and when he found Akira, he smiled.

Akira guessed he was happy to see her as he smiled as if the sun was made to rise beside him. The cold airconditioned room felt a warm summer night paired with a cone of ice cream, bewildering Akira. She looked down at her table, brows furrowed.

"Akira-chan! You're back!" Kirishima cheered and Kaminari grinned at her.

"Yes, it was only a broken wrist," Akira replied. _And bruised ribs. And abrasions on both my arms. A laceration on my scalp._

"You're a tough one, vice prez," Kaminari said to her.

As the minutes flew by, more people came around and most were more than open to scream their delight in seeing her. Akira could only sit and brace herself for Mina's pats and iron-grip hugs. Midoriya came to class without the casts on his arms, which Akira guessed he had after destroying his own body trying to save his hero. He waved at her when they saw each other.

Akira had put on the headphones for some calm piano, and with an open notebook and a pen, she jotted down her thoughts. Arrows, sharp scribbled words, and lingering thoughts flowed from mind, hand to ink on paper.

STAIN. It was all she could think about.

His cases, the words from his letters and even the faces of victims flashed continuously in her head, like the montage of a broken old film. Click, click, click, it went. As her hand jerked and flitted across the page, she found herself pondering on her words to her uncle.

 _He's done this before. Look at me. Look at me. Don't let them get away with it. Look at me. He's done this before._

" _How many times do I have to tell you, Aki? Look beyond. Look beyond what you see."_ Her father's voice rung in her head.

"Is that all there is, Stain? Social justice…?" She whispered. "Is that all you really want?"

There was a movement in front. On the podium of the classroom, Iida was standing and she could faintly hear his words over the crescendo of violins on her ear.

"—Take a seat!—-is starting!" He exclaimed, arms raised and ready. She turned off her music and listened to the class.

"You're the only one standing, Iida," Kaminari jested. Iida stomped back to his seat, gritting his teeth.

"I wonder who's teaching us today?" Akira heard Mina ask Tsuyu.

"Well, I'm not sure. Aizawa-sensei was pretty hurt. Maybe a substitute…"

On cue, the door opened, and there, standing on the doorway was a bandaged up Aizawa. He was a mummy, both arms were in a cast and on a sling. It seemed to be the pattern for the man, being wrapped like a burrito.

"AIZAWA-SENSEI!" The entirety of the class exclaimed.

 _How did he open the door?_ She wondered.

"Wow! That's so pro!"

"How did he bounce back so quick?!"

Iida stood up from his seat and asked, "Sensei! Are you alright? Is it okay for you to be back so soon?"

"My wellbeing isn't important. There are more pressing matters at hand," Aizawa drawled. "The fight is not over…"

"N-no! Villains?!" Mineta's teeth chattered out of fear. _If he keeps doing that, he could send a Morse Code to space…_ Akira thought.

"The U.A Sports Festival is coming up…"

"YES! A normal school event!" Kirishima boomed with cheer.

"Wait, wait, wait," Kaminari mumbled, pushing Kirishima's face with his hand.

"But how could we have the Sports Festival so soon after the villain attack?

"Isn't the school worried it would happen again?" The class started to ask the questions.

"Well, this is to boost morale. That U.A's crisis management is top notch and a villain attack won't stop us from having such a huge event. Security measures will be strengthened this year. But more than that, the U.A Sports Festival is your greatest chance, which is exactly why we can't cancel it despite what happened in USJ."

 _Greatest chance, huh?_

"Yeah, but isn't that like… just a sports festival?" Mineta mumbled.

"What? You've never seen _the_ U.A Sports Festival, Mineta?"

"Of course, I have. Who hasn't? But what I meant was—-"

"The Sports Festival is not just the school's biggest event but the whole country's," Aizawa continued. "In the past, people used to be crazy for the Olympics, but now, the U.A. School Festival has taken its place."

"And the Pros all over the country will be watching us… For scouting purposes!" Momo added. Akira quirked an eyebrow at that.

She couldn't believe she forgot about the whole sports festival. _Get your head in the game, gal._

"Well, when we graduate, it's normal to join a Hero agency and become sidekicks," Kaminari chimed in with a thumbs-up.

"Yeah, but some people become sidekicks permanently and miss their chance of going independent. Kaminari, I think you're kind of that guy… cause you're kinda dumb," Jirou deadpanned making Kaminari's face turn sour and raisin-like.

"Of course, joining a hero agency gets you famous and helps you gain experience, but it all starts in the Sports Festival… That's one chance a year… which means only three chances total. If you truly want to be a hero, you won't miss this. So do your best in preparing yourselves."

"Yes, sir!" The class replied.

"Dismissed."

* * *

"I am freakin' excited!" Kirishima cheered.

The beginning of lunchtime now divided the class into clusters, save for a few. Akira herself was dragged close to Momo and Jirou, and was listening to both their group and to Midoriya's behind her.

"You're a big guy, Mezou. Everyone's gonna be impressed with you immediately," Kaminari ruefully said.

"Yes, but I would like to prove my usefulness," Mezou said.

"Akira-chan, aren't you excited? You seem to be your… usual self," Momo commented.

"I am. Excited," Akira said.

"You don't look like it though," Kaminari added.

"I really am not in the mood for screaming. If I wanted screaming, I'd go ask Bakugou," Akira quipped.

"WHAT?!" Bakugou barked a few chairs behind her.

"I think he heard you," Jirou whispered.

Akira shrugged her shoulders. She once fought a serial killer who ate people's flesh to heal, and Akira actually caught him in the act, feasting on a poor man's liver. "Sorry, I need the iron. I'm anemic," he growled at her. "The Ghoul", the media had called him.

If Bakugou, by some sadistic circumstance, could top that, then fearing him could be an option.

"Guys! I'm gonna do my best!" Roared an excited Ochako, fist in the air. There was a maniacal grin on her face. _That's bloodlust._ Akira's fight-or-flight instincts whispered.

Ochako turned to the other folks behind her. "Guys! I'M GONNA DO MY BEST!" The fire in her eyes glowed even more. Everyone cheered, but she could see Tokoyami and Sato looked confused.

Akira heard a loud smack behind her and looked to find Mineta rubbing a red mark on his cheek. Tsu-chan was right beside him. _Hmm… probably deserved it._

When it was time to leave for the cafeteria, Akira was surprised to find herself being dragged by Ochako whose enthusiasm hasn't died down.

"Come, eat with us!" She said to Akira.

Akira wanted to refuse but with the glint of bloodlust in Ochako's eyes, she just couldn't. Akira, despite her well-timed foolhardiness, would not like to become someone's lunch, so she ended up walking with Uraraka, Iida, and Midoriya.

"Uraraka-san, why did you decide to become a hero?" Midoriya asked.

"Well, you see… I'm kinda doing this… for money," Uraraka chuckled and shyly scratched her head.

"For money?" Midoriya tilted her head.

"My family owns a construction business, but there hasn't been much work lately, so we're kinda broke…I'm sorry… It's embarrassing, I know. You have such admirable reasons to be here."

"Why would it be wrong to want to work for a better lifestyle? It is admirable to work for something like that," Iida exclaimed with vigor.

"Wait a minute, if you could get your license, you could lower construction costs with your Quirk. I mean, the expenses for heavy equipment would be greatly decreased," Midoriya suggested.

"That is exactly what I told my parents! They wanted me to continue becoming a hero… but I want to help them as well!" Ochako said.

"Bravo, Uraraka!" Roared Iida, and clapped his hands above his head. For a second there, Akira thought he was gonna do the YMCA or something.

"MIDDDDORRIIYYAA!"

All of them yelped in surprise. When they looked, they found All Might's head sticking out of behind a wall.

"I've got lunch," he said and pulled out a bento.

 _That's adorable. It truly was._ Akira made sure to file that in her head. _Category: My reasons to live._

"Is it okay, Young Midoriya?" He asked the boy. Midoriya looked at his companions and they nodded at him, including Akira, allowing him to go with the hero.

When they were now close to the cafeteria, Iida turned his attention to Akira. "Yamaguc–"

"Akira," she corrected.

"Uhh, yes, I'm sorry. Akira-san, since we've asked Uraraka her reasons for becoming a hero, what about you? What made you decide to become a hero?" Iida asked.

She couldn't tell him why or how she got into U.A., but she could tell him why she agreed to be here.

"I want to-uhh-fight villains because they are-umm… bad," stammered Akira. _I want to legally beat up bad guys._

"That's very noble of you, Akira-chan… fighting for justice," Iida said to her.

"Y-yeah, I guess," Akira mumbled.

Justice wasn't a frightening word, not to most villains anyway. A hero could say that to a villain and the latter could laugh. They weren't afraid of a blind woman and a scale.

They were afraid of Akira though. A few of those criminals tried to bribe her money, or drugs or some favor. Funny how they whimpered and cried when they realized, they couldn't cheat their way out of the scales.

This one wasn't blind. This one could see them. Akira didn't want justice. She wanted debridement. A surgical procedure.

"Akira-chan, are you okay? You were quiet there for a while…" Ochako said to her.

"Nothing. I'm actually thinking about… the School Festival," she lied. "Sorry, I've been known to… drift away a lot."

"That's okay… You don't look like it but I know you're excited, Akira-chan!" Ochako cheered.

"Well, whatever comes my way in the festival, I'll be ready for it… like always," Akira said. I need to be. Always.

"That's right, Akira-san! We must be ready!" Iida roared his heart out.

When they arrive at the cafeteria and lined up, it wasn't that long of a line but it didn't stop her companions from chattering. It wasn't uncomfortable to be around them at least. Akira looked around and saw a few of her classmates had lined up as well. A few people away, stood Todoroki, stiff and unmoving like a statue.

Truth be told, Akira found him a bit… unnerving. Not in a bad way though. He was unnerving in that he seemed to be unreadable to her. It irked Akira so. She knew a few things about him, the bad things mostly.

 _Mostly about his father._ She thought. It seemed a secret since no one in class ever mentioned it. Understandable, Endeavor, the No. 2 Hero, wasn't one to advertise his true identity.

"I wonder what All Might-sensei wanted with Deku-kun," Ochako said.

"Well, maybe it had something to do with what Tsuyu-chan said about his Quirk, you know, about it being the same as All Might's," Iida theorized.

"Hmm…" Akira could only hum in thought while Ochako agreed with him.

Her mind started to drift away but found itself tethered to a few things, the Festival, Midoriya's secret, and her visit to her old home. All mountains to climb. Plan them well and she could cut a swathe right through all these.

 _Maybe you should leave Midoriya's secret alone._ A part of her said.

 _Maybe you should shut the fu—  
_

"May I take your order?" The lady behind the counter asked.

"Pasta, a lemon soda and that piece of chocolate cake," she answered.

"Alrighty!" The lady said back to Akira. Akira was at least could slurp on some pasta and be happy with the little things… for now.

* * *

"Vlad? Vlad? Are you even listening to me?" Aizawa said with irritation.

Vlad had been staring blankly into the void since Aizawa told him about his niece's vigilante activities. Ten months. She had been doing it for ten months. Twice longer than the intel the police had given them and they never noticed.

"Wait, it says here that she might have been involved with the Hasegawa family incident? Isn't that the guy who got acquitted for drug and human trafficking charges, despite the evidence…"

"Yeah, then killed himself and his wife by burning his own house down with them inside it," Aizawa added.

"Yeah, that one! But how could she be involved in _that_? It doesn't seem like her," Vlad reasoned. "Her method was catching them off guard with a ruse, making them forget and then scaring them to a confession…"

"Yeah, which until now still… worries me. Her Quirk information has never mentioned Memory tampering. It's mostly moving objects and blasting them… but then again, psionics are complicated."

"Apple doesn't fall far from the tree," Vlad mumbled and Aizawa looked at him.

"What do you mean? The apple doesn't fall far—" Aizawa raised an eyebrow at him.

"Forget I said that," Vlad cut him off.

"Vlad?"

Vlad sighed. Grumpy man wouldn't let it go. "The Yamaguchi clan always had a thing for skirting on the wild side since the emergence of Quirks."

As he read through the files, he found it sickening, having to see all these through Akira's eyes. The rose-colored glasses were gone. He picked through the papers, newspaper clippings, case files and the like. His niece had seen the abyss, serial killers, corrupt officials, libelous journalists, everything.

There was a small piece of a printed newspaper clipping. An odd one since it was a picture of a boy about Akira's age wearing a school uniform.

 **YOUNG STUDENT JUMPS OFF BUILDING, DEAD ON THE SPOT.**

"What's this about a student?" Vlad asked and narrowed his eyes at the printout, "wait, this was in her Junior High. This was about a year ago. She would've been… fourteen when this happened…"

Aizawa peered at him through the bandages. The pieces of their little vigilante were starting to fall in place.

 _Know who you're dealing with, Aizawa. If we truly want to help her. See what pushed her to become what she is now._ Nedzu's words resounded in his head.

"What's this about a student in her school?" Vlad King asked.

"I had to cover my bases so I asked Tsukauchi to make an inquiry under the guise of a school background check. I don't know everything except for what he told me… so talk to her about it. One thing I'm going to tell you though… the ten-month timespan of her activities started a few weeks after that student's death."

"She's not actually the sharing type, Aizawa," Vlad said ruefully, "imagine how she'll be when she finds out we've been snooping around her life… I get knowing her hobbies and her grades, but this... She won't like it."

"Then don't hide it from her." Aizawa began to walk away to the door. "There's something else."

"What?" Vlad looked up.

"Tell her it's not her fault."

Vlad sighed. "She won't believe that."

"Mineta, I swear, you make another inappropriate joke, I will rip that revolting tongue out of your blasphemous mouth," Akira hissed. There was an eerie glow to her eyes. The purple boy cowered in his seat.

A few times Akira, like out of a horror movie, had silently glided herself close to Mineta's seat every time he even had a drop of malice in him. The perverted grape would look to his left and find Akira, with fiery glowing eyes, staring menacingly at him, ready to bestow the wrath of the gods upon him.

 _It's my job at the cafe all over again._ Akira thought ruefully.

She didn't tell her uncle but Ken paid her for more than her pristine work ethic. She wasn't just the barista who made the coffee and tended to the register. No. She was also the impromptu security. They had their own guard, of course, but he was merely a decoy. Akira was the real menace, but she was an effective one.

The _Atlas_ , Ken's space-themed coffee shop, had been a target of a few robberies. Ken had been injured a few times. When Akira came around, she had made it a point to stamp out incidents before they happen.

How? Well, it was kinda difficult to hatch a robbery plan with the barista standing behind you like a ghost right out of a Japanese horror movie. Akira would stand there and look at possible suspects and suspicious individuals, unblinking and unfazed, telling them to surrender or die. There were a few who resisted… but it really wouldn't work if you see the ghost of your mother somewhere.

It was at the cafe that she learned she could tap into a piece of someone's mind. Akira found such an ability frightening yet useful. But no, she would never use it on an ally.

There was that familiar ringing in the air, like the sound of a hundred wind chimes. Akira stared at the door. When Ochako opened it to go out, she found herself facing a crowd of students from other classes. They murmured amongst each other, about the class that survived the attack, the class under the limelight.

"Why are you here?!" Ochako exclaimed in shock. Akira stood up and walked towards the gathering outside the door, bag on her back, ready to leave as well.

"Is there something you guys—?" Akira began to ask them, but Bakugou bumped into her with his shoulder, interrupting her. He gave her a glaring side eye and she frowned at him. "Careful, there, Bakugou."

"Tch, don't get in my way, glowy hands," Bakugou hissed at her. Akira leaned on the wall away from him.

"What are they all doing here?" Someone behind her asked aloud.

"They're here to scope out the competition," Bakugou said. "Get out of my way, extras!"

"That's rude, Bakugou-san! You can't just call people you don't know extras!" Iida scolded behind them.

"Are people in the Hero course this arrogant?" A voice within the crowd asked, laced with distaste.

A boy with unruly, spiked up purple hair walked up to the front of their classroom door. About two feet away from Akira, he stood. "Honestly, I'm disillusioned. I thought you guys are better. You know, a lot of people couldn't get into the Hero course and are stuck in the General Department. The School Festival is our chance to climb the ranks… who knows the reverse could happen to you, too." He paused and peered at them with his exhausted, droopy eyes.

"This isn't a friendly visit. I am here for a declaration of war," the strange boy announced grimly. Akira frowned at him. For a few seconds, their eyes met and glued for a few heartbeats.

It felt like ages before they both looked away, but mere seconds only to the world around them. Akira found the sensation odd yet not unpleasant, like falling in warm waters. _What was that about?_

"Look what you did, Bakugou! They all hate us now," lamented Kirishima.

Bakugou now parted the front of the crowd with nothing but a murderous determined glare. "It doesn't matter," he said, "I'll rise to the top… no matter what."

There was a calmness in him that Akira had never seen before. The strength in his red eyes was unfaltering, but there wasn't a sneer or a domineering smirk on his lips. Akira thought it was… interesting to look at. _The calm before the storm._ Bakugou left with nary a glance or word at them.

"T-that was… so manly!" Kirishima exclaimed with unshed tears in his eyes.

"Hey! Hey! You guys! I'm from Class-B! The class right beside you! Yeah!" Another student barked at them. "I wanna see the people who survived the villain attack!" It seemed even her uncle's class couldn't escape the rowdy types.

Akira didn't want to waste time being stuck in front of people too presumptuous to think they are the big fish. No, Akira had greater fish to fry like nightmares, the skeleton's in her family's closet and a hero-killing maniac.

 _Now, those are big fish to be marinated, filleted and fried in the olive oil of… fry…_

Akira shouldn't do serious literature.

Bakugou was not some typical punk, she knew that now. That potty mouth and violent urges could lead most people to assume he was mindless in his appetite for destruction.

"I'll rise to the top… no matter what."

She trudged a path to the library like always and paused in front of a vending machine for some soda, but her luck was rotten. Her little drink was stuck, hanging on the edge of its shelf inside the vending machine.

Akira was patient but having to watch her lemon soda hold on to faith itself, was too much. She held onto the sides of the rectangular machine and shook the whole thing with her arms.

"Oh, please, oh, please…" Akira hissed. "Give me the nectar of the gods…"

The drink fell with a thud into the compartment and Akira cheered.

"You must be really thirsty…" A voice quipped behind her. She looked towards it and she found the "declaration of war" guy. He bent down, drink and handed it to her. Akira gawked at him and soda in his hand.

"That was quite the declaration you made there," she said to him as she took the soda from him.

"I had to tell you I'm serious. You Hero folks and your entitlement…" He lazily peered at her.

"You assume too much. Can I at least get the name of the person who declared war on me?" She said to him. The boy looked taken aback.

"Shinso… Shinso Hitoshi," he answered.

"Akira. Yamaguchi Akira… just Akira," she said to him.

"O-okay, Akira. What's it like being in the top class?' He asked and bought a can of Sprite from the vending machine. Shinso opened it with a pop and took a few gulps from it.

"Lots of work… and a villain attack apparently," she wryly told him. "Worst second day of my life…"

"Second? Wait… You're the new kid," Shinso said.

"You guys heard, too?… Word really does travel…" Akira mumbled. "I don't see why it's such a big deal."

"Do you know how rare that happens?… You must be hella special to be here," Shinso chimed in. Akira shook her head slightly.

"You were in the villain attack… What was it like?" He asked.

"It wasn't pretty. Got knocked out by a monster. Broke my wrist. Bruised ribs and all. I can't take a pill for the pain," Akira answered and shifted on her feet.

"They gave us two weeks to prepare for this festival. I'll see you there," Shinso said and walked away.

Akira watched him as he left. It seemed Senior High was more vicious than she expected. The competition was way more intense in Hero schools. It's not like Junior High was friendlier.

 _But why hate on us, Shinso?_ She thought. A riddle has come her way once more and, like any, she must unriddle it herself.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Don't forget to like or follow if you want updates! Reviews are always welcome.**

\- Yes! It's the Sports Festival. Challenges ahead for Akira and Co.

\- Music of the Chapter: Elegy of the Arctic by Ludovico Einaudi

\- The title is based on a Friedrich Nietzsche quote: Whenever I climb, I am followed by a dog called 'Ego'.

 _-_ I heard this quote playing an indie game called "Getting Over It" by Bennett Foddy. It's a rage game where you have to climb a mountain of obstacles with a hammer, and anytime you could fall off and start over again, while narrator mentions quotes & plays music that pisses you off. I kept telling Nietzsche to shut up every time, and this quote just stuck with me.

 _-_ The letter from Stain is based on multiple serial killer letters. I had to read through a lot of the creepy letters, and made my own for him. The ones that made the most impression to me were the letters from Son of Sam (D. Berkowitz), Beltway Snipers (J. A. Muhammad & L.B. Malvo), the Zodiac Killer and the Boston Strangler (A. De Salvo).

 **Thanks for the support. More chapters incoming!**


	8. Chapter VIII: A Vicious Motivator

**Chapter VIII: A Vicious Motivator**

The family home didn't feel right without its children.

The Yamaguchi estate in Akita was ancient compared to most of the homes in the immediate area, and it was far away from the typical corner store which was about twenty minutes away. It was never made for a few people, not with its spacious rooms, vibrant gardens and the little green woods behind the home. Although the estate itself has remained in its grandiose beauty, it has, however, lost most of its life, and the north winds of Akita for more than half the year only made things colder.

The children were gone and with them, the inherent warmth of a home.

The head of the household sat tiredly upon his seat in his office, long burdened by age and even more, by the mistakes of his past. Hideki Yamaguchi missed his children. What could he do but wait for them to come home?

A rapping on his door caught his attention. _Speaking of children…_

"Burning the midnight oil, dad?" His son asked him.

"Yes… Going back to Tokyo? You know, your agency can survive without you for a few days…" He told his boy.

It's funny. Ichirou was twenty-six years old, more than old enough to be called an adult, but all he could see was the nine-year-old little boy who wouldn't let his sister play with his new All Might action figures. He looked more like his mother though, with his silvery-white hair and dark red eyes.

"Dad, they are good people but the newbies still need a lot of guidance. Hell, I'm a newbie and I own the place." Ichirou gave him a wry smile. "Besides, it's about that time of the year…"

Hideki looked at his son, hearing his words. "Sports Festival… She'll be there…"

"Yeah? Heard you gave the folks in U.A an earful," Ichirou said.

"Yes, and a system upgrade to most of their security… I put her there for her protection. Aki isn't the type to sit still. Without knowing it, her… _activities_ have made a lot of dangerous people nervous… and when people like _that_ are nervous…" He sighed and shook his head. "The investigation for USJ has brought up more questions than answers but at least, it's not about her."

"That's comforting… I'll keep an eye out for her. She and uncle Vlad are doing well. He called me after the USJ incident," Ichirou told him.

"Keep yourself out of her sight. You know how she'll be when she catches you…" Hideki jokingly warned. _Really, boy, don't let her catch you._

Ichirou chuckled nervously. "Well, I don't really want another thrashing… We get to watch her anyway for the Festival. If she's tough enough to fight the real baddies, what's a school festival for her, right? I'll be cheering her on from the sidelines…"

"So you'll be watching then? In the stadium?" Hideki asked.

"Yeah… I haven't really watched in person for a very long time so why not? Besides, it's been a while since I've annoyed Aki. I mean, I'm her big bro. It's my job to annoy her," Ichirou jested, then his smiled faded and gave his father a worried look. "You know she won't hate you for being there. She doesn't hate you at all."

"I've… screwed up. It's better I stay here. But if you see her, tell her I send my love," Hideki sadly said. They are somethings only time could ever tell. "Don't forget to say goodbye to your mother… and please bring some of her desserts. You know she doesn't like it when you don't bring something from home…"

"She practically stuffed me with mango tarts the moment I stepped through the door," Ichirou said and laughed. "I'm gonna get some sleep. Early start tomorrow!"

Ichirou started for the door and paused to look at his father. "Dad, you know… you know no one hates you, right? Aki will come around. She'll understand."

"I hope she does, but it doesn't change a lot of things. I have… a lot of things to make amends for," Hideki said.

" _We-_ We have a lot of things to make amends for. I think you forgot I'm in on this, too, Dad," Ichirou firmly stated.

"You were just a kid… Just a kid listening to your Dad. That's all. We put you up to this. Aki should at least have you by her side."

"But–"

"No buts, kiddo. Now, go get some sleep," Hideki scolded lightheartedly. It seemed despite his son's age, Hideki could still pull the ultimate "please go to sleep" dad move. That wouldn't work on Aki though. She would just shrugged and tell them she could sleep when she's dead, scaring the cats out of her mother.

 _One of these things is not like the other._ He thought.

"Okay, fine, fine, fine. Good night, Dad." Ichirou waved at him as he closed the door and left.

Hideki sat back on his chair. His family's home didn't feel right without its children, but he hoped, God, he hoped. He hoped to see their shadows upon the door once more. All of them. This house would wait for their arrival, and so would he.

* * *

"On your left," Akira said, passing by Bakugou who was doing a run for warm-ups.

"The fuck?" He hissed, sneering as he watched Akira run away.

"I'm not gonna fucking let you get away with that! Ya hear me!" He barked at her.

Akira had gotten to the U.A test zones early, which now doubled as their training areas for the Sports Festival. She was surprised to find almost everyone at the entrance to the school.

Now, she shared her zone with Kirishima and Bakugou.

The zone looked to be the replica of a cityscape, with its skyscrapers, buildings and empty streets. It was vast and maze-like, and more than enough for a training area for three people.

"You know, our Entrance tests happened in a place like this," Kirishima said, keeping up with her. "Where'd you get tested?"

"H-huh? What?" Akira gawked.

"Tested? Like how'd you get in class? They must've tried to test you before you could join us…" Kirishima clarified.

"Well… you see, it wasn't a test. I kinda–uhh—" Akira stammered for an answer. "I—uhh—kinda fought a hero 'cause I thought he was—uhh–a villain…"

"What? You fought a hero?! That's awesome! No wonder they let you in. We only fought robots in the Entrance test," Kirishima said.

Unbeknownst to them, Bakugou was listening intently. Her answer made him raise an eyebrow. _How the fucking hell do you mistake a hero for a villain?!_

"So who was the hero you fought against? Do I know them?" Kirishima asked.

"There was two of them. It didn't go well for me, obviously."

"Two? Fucking bullshit, glowy hands!" Bakugou fumed behind them.

"Go ask them then. Since you see one of them every day," Akira told him.

"Huh? Who?" Kirishima gaped at her.

Akira then sped up with a shimmer of gold beneath her feet. "It's our great burrito of an adviser."

"What?! Aizawa-sensei?!" Kirishima exclaimed with disbelief, but Akira was now far away from them. For someone with short legs, Akira had unexpected mileage, like a yellow beetle car with jet boosters.

"Hey, wait up, Akira-chan!" Kirishima called out. "You wanna come with us, Bakugou?"

"Fuckin' date somewhere else, would ya?! You goddamned extras!" Bakugou hissed at both of them.

"W-what?! It isn't like that! Come on, Baku-bro!" Kirishima flailed his arms in defense but Bakugou could see the redness on his cheeks.

"Fucking go away! I'm training on my own!" He sneered and went the opposite direction from the two.

An ugly voice reared out of Bakugou's head. _Don't know how to talk to a girl, Mr. I'm-Good-At-Everything?_

"Fucking shut up… I don't care…" He mumbled to himself.

Meanwhile, Akira and Kirishima kept their little running competition, with the former actually keeping her speed up, much to the latter's surprise.

Kirishima panted as they both stopped. "You do this a lot?"

 _Really, Eijirou? "You do this a lot?"_ He chastised himself mentally.

"I–uhh–I had a martial arts teacher. She was my aunt and damn, was she scary…" Akira shivered at the memories. "Running was the easiest exercise I've ever done with her." Her eyes glossed over and she did a thousand-yard stare for a few seconds, unmoving and still.

"Are you—Are you okay?" Kirishima asked and poked her with his finger. It pulled her out of her trance, thank goodness.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," Akira assured him.

"So, what are you gonna do after running?" Kirishima asked and watched as she re-tied her hair into a loose bun.

"Since you're here, I can spar with you."

Kirishima smiled. "Yeah? That's okay? I won't go easy on you."

"I don't expect you to. Give me your best shot… hero," Akira teased him.

"No Quirks?" Kirishima asked.

"Yes, sure. Whatever you want," Akira replied, as she stretched her arms above her.

Kirishima found himself observing her. Yamaguchi wasn't much of a talker, but when she did, it was always cutting and precise. While his explosive friend was taunting shouts and loud curses, Akira was a well-hidden smirk and the faint painting of a smile on her lips before a subtle barb.

"Okay, get ready," Akira said to him, and went to a fighting stance, leaning back, left foot forward, arms outstretched in front of her with palms open.

"Here I come!" Kirishima lunged at her, fist first, aiming at her shoulder.

Akira, seeing his move, switched her body to the side, and sharply jabbed his hip with her fist.

"Oww… You hit hard!" Kirishima winced. "Not done yet!" He gave her more fast-paced hooks.

Kirishima was quick with his jabs and on his feet. Akira could feel the force of his punches without having to feel it on her body. It was exhilarating as the strength whipped faintly against her hair and barely on her skin as she continued to dodge his strikes.

Seeing her evasiveness, Kirishima quirked an eyebrow. "Are you just gonna keep—"

Akira sidestepped from his punch and grabbed his outstretched arm by the elbow. She harshly spun him around and then kicked him away on his abdomen. His reflexes were astounding as he hardened himself just barely in time.

"You… fight differently," he mumbled to her. "You're like… all spinning around… like dancing."

"I wasn't taught to block or defend," Akira scoffed, "I was taught to annoy and piss people off…"

"Annoy?" He asked, confused. "How is that a tactic?"

"Have you ever been so pissed because you can't seem to get a—" Akira grunted as she spun away from Kirishima's uppercut,"–a hit in?"

Huffing, Kirishima winced and smiled shyly at her. "Yeah, I think I get what you mean…"

"Well, I was trained never to get hit 'cause if I do…" Akira winced remembering USJ.

"Right, that—Nomu thing." He gave her a wry smile. "But you really look like you're dancing, you know. Yeah, I remember. Mina dances. I used to see her practice back in Junior High."

Akira's faced turned thoughtful. "Ahh… no wonder she has those legs. Her musculature fits the profile very well. Those leg muscles didn't come out of nowhere," she mumbled, making Kirishima chuckle. Akira found his laughter pleasant.

"You're kind of like Midoriya… but more serious…" He said to her.

Akira thought Kirishima shouldn't say that around people like Yuki or Ken. They might tell him about that one time she chose to surprise Ken by wearing a Freddy Fazbear costume and standing in front of his bed at 3 AM in the morning. In a span of eight seconds, Ken found his potential to be a superb soprano.

"Wait? You knew Mina when she was in Junior High?" Akira asked.

"Y-yeah? We were classmates but we didn't really talk much…" Kirishima answered and his eyes went downcast.

 _Something's wrong_. She thought.

 _Was—was it something I said?_ Akira thought with concern. _Something's wrong. Something's wrong. Something's wrong._

 _Say something to him._ "I–I used to be a dancer. Made my mother smile everytime we—" A strange but faint laughter brushed her mind, gone before she knew what it was. "I–uhh—I practiced."

"Yeah?" Kirishima got into a fighting stance once more, and send fast jabs at Akira. "What kind of- ooff!" A sweeping kick from below had Kirishima lying on the ground.

"I don't know if you've been to fights before, but there really isn't much talking in them," Akira said and extended a hand to him, but her phone vibrated in her pocket, and she fished it out. Ken had sent her a message.

 **I'm going there to you. Meet up?**

"Akira-chan?" Akira heard Kirishima whisper.

"Just a message. Just a message," she murmured as she typed a reply.

 **Yes. Cafe near U.A. Easy to find. It's the only cafe there. By the way did you get it?**

"Akira-chan…Umm—"

Akira shushed her classmate once more and waited for her cousin's reply, tapping her foot on the ground. Her phone vibrated once more.

 **Yeah. Got all of em**

Akira typed in her reply. **Okay. Meet you after lunch then.**

 **Yeah sure :)**

"Akira-chan… Umm—Akira-chan… Y-you're—" Kirishima stammered. He's never done this before. _How can I tell her that she's—_ He's face was getting redder by the second. He could burst a vein here and die if she doesn't stop.

"Yes? What was it again? Sorry, urgent message," Akira said to Kirishima.

"Umm, Akira-chan- Y-you're still— You're still holding my hand," Kirishima whispered.

Akira looked down to their joined hands and indeed, he was telling the truth. _How long have I been doing that?_ She thought. She unclasped her hand from his immediately, not wanting to make him uncomfortable. One should never touch anyone outside their limits, even she knew that.

"Sorry, I–I—uhh–Sorry," Akira apologized. "I'm gonna go train with my Quirk now. I guess I'll leave you alone. Thanks for the sparring session, by the way."

"Y-yeah… sure. It was really fun. Can we do this again?" Kirishima asked her. Akira nodded at him with a shy smile on her face.

"Yes, it was…fun. Sure. I'm just gonna be up ahead. I'm testing my Quirk's range so… Umm—bye now…" Then she left him there.

As Kirishima stood, he watched as she walked far away to train alone. He wasn't a genius and he didn't need to be, to understand that Yamaguchi Akira had a lot in her mind. The very circumstance of how she ended up being his classmate still baffled him despite her explanation.

He might not be a genius like Midoriya or a prodigy like Bakugou, but he was gonna unravel her mystery. One spar, one conversation at a time.

* * *

She had to get out of there. The air around her was thick enough, she could ax through it and scream "here's Johnny!".

Akira had found herself a perfect spot, a fake junkshop full of empty cars and metal carcasses. The air itself smelled of earth and metal. There was a rusted hull of an old Mustang in the yard. _Such a shame._ Akira thought.

She checked her ugly watch. Good thing she was in her P.E uniform or else, it would look even more horrendous with her other clothes.

Reaching out with her hands, the glowing mist of gold energy wrapped around an empty minivan about thirty feet away. With an upward flick of her finger, the huge mass of metal lifted a few feet above the ground.

"Too far…" She grunted. The empty car shook and dropped lifeless on the ground with a loud thunk. "It's a muscle. Just a muscle." Akira mumbled her little mantra. "Stretch it…" She reached out once more.

"Stretch it…" She whispered to herself as the metal floated. "Stretch it like taffy… Stretch it like panty hose… Streetccchh… "

Her energy soaked into the metal's every nook and cranny like water and sponge. It clung to it like a gaseous tendril. The car wobbled unsteadily in her control and dropped once more.

"Fucking—" She groaned. " Calm yourself. The Force is with you."

 _Silly you are. Stop it you should_. A thought chimed in.

 _Whoom!_ A muffled explosion trembled the ground. The minivan she was controlling, hopped and danced. Stones scattered and jumped like little grasshoppers around her feet.

 _Bakugou._ Akira thought, annoyed but still somewhat impressed by the firepower. The strength of his Quirk and his very presence were the beating of war drums on her skin, sonorous and booming.

One upward swipe of her hand and the minivan was cleaved in two by a slicing arc of energy, as she looked afar to the direction of Bakugou's explosions. She parted the bisected parts away from each other with a spread of both her arms, now stretched at her sides.

By the time lunch came around, she was exhausted to the bone. Physically, she was athletic. She had been active since she was a tiny tot and High School only gave her more opportunities with Kendo Club.

Using her Quirk in tandem was something else entirely. It drained her more than she liked.

There were a few things she learned about her Quirk from the years she had experimented with it. One, the size of a material rarely mattered when thrown fast or strong enough.

Akira had ended her training an hour before lunchtime. She had "carried" chunks of metal, propelling them, and breaking them, scattering them into tiny pieces and using them for target practice. After the harrowing few hours of crunching metal with her mind, she started for the zone's exit. Behind her, she could still hear explosions.

Outside the entrance of the cityscape zone, stood Aizawa, still covered with bandages, quietly observing them.

"Done already?" He asked as she approached.

"For now. I have to meet with someone. Tomorrow, I'll be here the whole day," she said to him.

"The School Festival could open doors for you, you know," Aizawa said, his eyes following her in between his bandages.

"I'm not here to 'open doors', remember?" She said while doing a quotation with her fingers. "Besides… if anyone found out about my–uhh—circumstances, I don't think they'd care about my efforts."

"You give yourself too little credit," Aizawa countered. "You give us heroes too little credit."

Akira scoffed. "Don't feel so special… The worst case scenario always comes first. The same is applied to people."

"Your paranoia is astounding," Aizawa stated with an eyebrow raised.

"It's what happens when you've been right too many times…" Akira crossed her arms and watched the far away flashes of explosions. It was a realistic approach to a real problem: people liked to hurt each other and one must always expect it.

"Lemon."

"W-What?" Akira stuttered.

"I like the lemon flavor… besides the orange," he said to her.

 _How did he know? Did that nurse tell someone?_ A bead of sweat rolled down Akira's temple.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she breathed out and briskly walked away from the bandaged grumpy Hero, not seeing the little grin on his lips.

 _Got you, kid._

Her walk to the ladies' room was quiet. The zone was after all empty except for Kirishima, Bakugou and her. When she found the hallway straight to her destination, she was surprised to find Tokoyami there, coming out of the boys' room.

"Hello. Didn't know you were training here, Tokoyami," Akira said as she greeted him.

"I was in another zone but I'm checking on Shoji in the nearby training room," Tokoyami replied and leaned against the wall. "You… training with someone?"

"I was training with Kirishima. I'm currently sharing my zone with him and Bakugou. I'm done for today though," she stated as she pulled out a water bottle from her backpack and took a few gulps.

"Done for today? You're leaving?" He asked.

"Yes. But I'll be here the whole day tomorrow. There's a lot of work to do." Akira pushed the door to the ladies' room open and stuck her head out for Tokoyami. "I'll see you around then." Then she went in.

"Yeah," he said with a faint smile on his lips, "I'll see you around as well."

Aizawa had told them that there were shower rooms in the training zones. She mentally thanked the engineer, the architect and the very cement used to build this place for such a perk. After sensing that no one was there, she finally prepared herself for a nice bath.

The showers were partially angel kisses, Heaven's masseuse and a Viking funeral. Her aching muscles were roaring to be fixed. The hot shower was sending her straight to Valhalla and right into the arms of the Valkyries. The "Immigrant Song" was blaring inside her head.

By the time she went out of the shower, Akira had seen a piece of enlightenment. The soreness was now manageable and she smelled like lavender. Akira folded her P.E uniform neatly and tucked it into her backpack. She changed into a dark green long-sleeve collared shirt, a dark jumper skirt over black breathable tights and black sneakers.

Yuki was to be blamed for her love of stockings. Every time Akira won a class debate or got the highest marks, it was expected she would get a pair of uniquely printed socks or stockings or even leggings. It was a peculiar reward but Akira secretly liked the gesture, and Yuki took it upon herself to feed such a liking.

 _The Midnight-themed leggings were the comfiest._ Akira thought. _Present Mic socks were good, too, but I won't tell anyone that._

"I won't hear the end of it," she mumbled as she tied her damp wavy hair in a messy, loose bun. A few strands of hair hung on the sides of her face.

Akira found most of her classmates in the cafeteria when she stopped there for another drink. They were lounging and relaxing after the whole morning's hard work.

"Akira-ch—Woah? It's the first time I've seen you not wearing a uniform," Tooru said. "Going somewhere?"

"Yeah, meeting with someone," Akira said as she walked towards a nearby vending machine.

"Oh? _Meeting with someone?_ Intriguing…" Tooru singsonged. Shoji Mezou sat a few chairs away and Akira nodded at him as greeting.

"Why would that be intriguing?" Akira asked and took a couple gulps of water.

"Is it a… _boy_?" Tooru tapped her finger on her chin.

"Y-yes?… Is there… a problem?" Akira asked and raised an eyebrow at her classmate. _I could feel her smiling…_ She thought. _I can't even see her._

"A boy?… Hmm, Akira-chan's being naughty!" The invisible girl teased. "Come on, tell me more."

"There's nothing _**to**_ tell. Bye." Akira hurriedly left the building and was more than happy to hear Tooru's grumbling and calling her from afar.

* * *

 _A few weeks earlier…_

Akira winced as she walked a dark and lonely road away from the bedlam she was in ten minutes ago. The man in the black jumpsuit and spaghetti strips had given her quite the kneeing on the side, and the damn headbutt she gave him was making her ears ring.

The warehouse raid against the Tokyo Snakes had been more than fruitful for her, but the boss was less than cooperative so she had to use the dangerous ace up her sleeve to make him talk. It gave her more questions and a few answers.

 _The Tokyo Snakes_. One of Tokyo's, the whole country's, most notorious gangs. They were known for human and drug trafficking and smuggling with a few side businesses. A long time ago, Akira would've thought that the word 'merchandise' meant candy and chocolate bars. Not to this people.

When more than half of their businesses, financials, and people were seized, they went underground for almost a decade, in hiding from their weakened position. But this didn't stop them from continuing operations discreetly. They had suddenly resurfaced once more and this rung Akira's bell all month long.

The attack was going well for her until the arrival of the other guests. Akira expected them there—the police, the heroes, the whole gamut—but she didn't expect her uncle's appearance. His name never came up on her inquiries.

The short battle had been more than nerve-wracking. It ended up with her as a pressed art relief on the wall, covered in her uncle's crystallized blood, and she couldn't use her Quirk. Akira knew it was the Hoboman with a tissue scarf, and Tresemme floating hair. With a lot of effort, she was able to get away, but her uncle had knocked off the funny little smiley-face mask she was wearing.

She fished her phone out of her pocket when it vibrated.

"Aki? Where are you? How did it go?" Ken asked on the receiver.

"It was shit. I got to them. There was only a few of them in that warehouse but—" Akira groaned and leaned on a nearby wall, "—he was there. Uncle Vlad was there. He saw me… He saw me, Ken. He recognized me."

"Oh, no." She could hear him breathe out. "Come home, Aki. Right now."

"I'll be there in twenty." _If I don't pass out._ Akira then ended her call. She arrived home in approximately sixteen minutes, bruised and scratched up much to Ken's fear.

"Did anyone call you?" Akira asked, grimacing on all the aches on her body. Ken shook his head and started to unstrap the improvised light body armor off her. It fell with a heavy thud on the ground. She and Ken were seated on the floor of their living room.

"This really saved my life, you know," she said to Ken and pointed on her armor. He gave her a wry smile but the glint of worry in his light brown eyes didn't leave.

"So… did you get anything from him?" Ken asked her and pulled out a med-kit.

"Barely… but there's one thing though… He's not the… big bad as you—ack!–" Akira yelped as Ken started to work on her wounds. "—as you call it, but like I said before, there's always a bigger fish."

"Y-you mean… He's not the big boss?" Ken whispered.

"Yes, somewhere, someone out there is the real Kingpin. Someone controlling the gangs as his own personal supply chain for people. It irks me that I feel that this is more than just selling people to the highest bidder for prostitution and Quirk Marriages."

"What about Vlad King? What are you gonna do about him?" Ken asked. "Are you sure… he saw you?"

"Yes. He called me 'Aki'. He looked… right through me," Akira said to him. "It's been a while since… I–I've seen him."

"Since you guys left Musutafu right?" Ken said and Akira groaned when put some ointment on her scratches.

"Yes… and he never even… visited. Not once since we left. I never saw him since. I barely even remember him," she said with furrowed brows.

"Okay, you're all done!" Ken peered at her. "Are you feeling dizzy?" He finally asked after a brief once-over.

"No… But I'm parched and… in dire need of sleep," Akira said.

Akira rested fitfully that night. Her five senses, even asleep, were throbbing in phantom pains. Every detail she saw, smelled, heard and touched replayed in her mind. She wondered if the people she punished thought of their victims, and if they did, did they suffer as they remembered?

 _Dreams, the true enemy of the guilty._ Where there are no limits, no safe haven from the enemies, the demons in their heads. But why does she suffer so? Why can't she stop herself from seeing that cold, empty road and that screeching little girl in a black dress?

Akira awoke from her slumber, but tiredness still seeped her bones. Most of the aches were gone in the morning, but after a few seconds of stretches, it crashed on her like a wave and she was down on the ground groaning her heart out. She changed to a hoodie and some old P.E shorts for the day. Maybe later, she could take a walk. It was a typical thing to do, especially now that the cherry blossoms were starting to bloom.

It was when she walked out of her room and into the living room, that she felt it, the deep thrumming of dread. The hairs on her neck stood up.

 _Ken… where's Ken?_ She thought and the pit in her stomach churned. The house felt stuffy when she realized there were more than two people in it and none of them were her cousin. Then a loud ringing in her ear hit her.

 _Ah, shit_.

Akira ducked, barely dodging a familiar strip of white cloth. "You again," she hissed, "you want another headbutt?"

An invisible cold bubble wrapped around her and she knew she couldn't use her Quirk. It was that Hoboman with cyclops glasses, who was now standing in the dining area.

He tracked her down… which means… he's got Ken.

"Don't make this any harder… Yamaguchi," he drawled. "Give yourself up."

Akira jumped behind the couch and found that cold feeling around her gone. _I see._ He was getting closer. She could see his reflection on the flat screen TV, but… where was the other one?

The glass centerpiece of the living room coffee table flew to Akira's hand and she upended it high above her head. The tiny decorative stones spilled but remained suspended in the air. Akira, eyes glowing, sent them hurtling towards the stranger.

The moment he dodged, Akira jumped out of the couch and shot out a blast of energy at him, but he was quick. He spun away and sent one of his spaghetti strips at her.

Akira rolled towards him, aiming to strike him in the face, but he reached out to grab her wrist and latched one of his fabric strips on her.

"You're not getting away," he whispered.

"Where's my cousin? Where's Ken?" She asked with a hint of barely contained panic. Akira spun away before he could put her in an armlock.

They were both standing in front of each other. Akira could finally see him clearly now. He was tall, in a black jumpsuit and he was in need of a shave.

"Your cousin is safe and secured. Come with us," he said to her. "We'll take you to him."

"No, thanks. How about I make you talk inst—" Before she could finish, Akira sensed the movement of another. Someone familiar… someone...

 _Uncle V—!_ Akira was pinned, stomach on the ground by reddish crystals wrapped around her. It smelled of sickening rust and metal.

"Aki. Don't make this worse. Stay down," he said as he placed his hand on her back.

"Aii-Guu-Hyuu–" She grunted out.

"Nice to see you too, kid," Vlad replied.

 _That's not what I said._

The cocoon of hardened gore around Akira shattered with a burst of gold light. Vlad and the stranger jumped into action but the temporary blindness had fogged their vision, prompting Akira to speed away from them, and to the doorway.

The stranger winced behind her. _I just blinked once!_

Akira ran to the doorway, a little grin on her face, but she celebrated too early. She yelped as something caught her ankle and she tripped face first on the floor. She couldn't move, not with that infernal fabric now wrapped around her. It tightened and covered her from her mouth to her ankle.

"Not gonna get away this time," the stranger drawled.

He flipped her on her back and their eyes met. Dark gold and glowing red clashed. Akira had never been so angry in her life.

"Now, get to talking, problem child."

The stranger grinned.

* * *

The black currant tea was pleasant and sweet, and the warmth of the cup oozed to the pads of Akira's hand.

The cafe was fairly deserted with around five people lazing around her besides the staff, as expected of a workday. Everyone was either doing their jobs or in school. She was grateful for the peace.

The chiming of the little bells behind the cafe door made Akira look up. It was Ken carrying a brown envelope and a small smile on his face. Akira meekly waved at him as he approached her.

"Hey, Aki," he greeted her as he sat in front.

Ken looked like a tall, lanky male version of her. They looked more alike than her own sibling. _That white-haired demon who was born before me._ Akira's thoughts hissed. Ken had wavy black hair, almost Hobbit-like, with brilliant amber eyes, and a few tiny moles dusted his narrow face. He walked to the seat in front of Akira and sat down.

"This place looks nice… Not into the whole Bohemian rustic thing though, but it's not that bad," Ken commented with a faint smile. "By the way, Yuki sent me an email about wanting to make _Atlas_ a nation-wide thing. Frankly, I'm flattered but it's still too early for that."

"You're right. It's too early, but please do listen to Yuki. When she tells you that an idea or a business has potential, she means it," Akira told him. "She has an eye for these things."

"Noted, but before we talk about this," he said and looked at the envelope he placed on the table, "tell me about U.A. I'm so intrigued about the whole—uhh—hero thing."

Akira rolled her eyes at him. "Try High School Musical with capes, villains and Michael Bay-level explosions." _Care of an equally explosive blond._

"Wow… That image is…" Ken stammered.

"Cliched?"

"Visceral," Ken corrected, "But explosions? Really? What are they teaching you? Mad science or something?"

"I have a classmate," Akira said with a wry smirk.

"Oooh. Boy or girl?"

"T-that's irrelevant. The point is… that it's a class I didn't expect. I thought Junior High was crazy but this…"

"I guess you aren't allowed to use your Quirk on a daily basis and for combat purposes back in Junior High."

"It's… fun. I'm actually… anticipating things," Akira murmured.

"Woah! This coming from someone who's all 'everyone is predictable and boring'! Long live U.A!" Ken cheered, making Akira glare at him.

"Enough." She raised her open palm at him. "Now show me what you have. Is it any good?"

"Yes, I got them all… and then some." He pulled the papers out of the large envelope. Some documents were big enough they had to be folded multiple times to fit inside. Akira chose to read those last.

"Your father lied to your friends. Your—uhh—accessory is not made for tracking your movements… not really anyway... But something else," Ken whispered, and pulled out papers of sorts.

Some were handwritten and then converted to a computerized copy. Akira thought they looked like they were faxed or photocopied.

"These are notes… from your father's company computer. It was in the same folder as the schematics for your smart tracker. I guessed he wrote them on a paper, scanned then upload it on his computer to save them," he whispered, leaning close.

Akira scanned the notes with furrowed brows.

 _Increased heart rate. Danger levels, should be notified._

 _Neural sensor — Notify when over danger levels reached_

 _Impact sensor- Highest priority alarm settings  
_

"Wait? Impact sensor? Isn't that like the stuff you put for the airbags in cars?" Akira asked. "Why would you put that in a watch?"

"Not exactly. This one is much more high tech and way…I mean waayy… more sophisticated and smaller. I mean… your whole watch could get crushed and this thing would still keep calibrating," Ken stated with wide eyes.

"It says here… 'Highest priority alarm setting'… Alarm? He wants an alarm to go off somewhere if I break this thing?" Akira theorized

"Is this like an 'in case of fire, break this' kind of security?" Ken wondered and chuckled. "Your father is a sly man. This isn't an ankle monitor. This is more like a—uhh— a panic button. Does your uncle know that?"

Akira frowned. "I don't think so..." She scoffed. "But I wouldn't have known about this unless I had the schematics."

"And a panic button? Really?" Akira hissed. "What am I? A-A panic-panic person?" _A panic person? Really, Aki?_

Ken's face jokingly squinted his eyes at her. "He probably thought since you were up to no good, it would be better if he was watching out for you."

"He really has a way of dipping his toes in my business," Akira groaned. "I don't need a freaking panic button."

"It's more like a baby monitor really," Ken added and chuckled.

"Y-you're not making this better. You're supposed to be on my side…" Akira whined and took a sip from her tea.

"You like it here," Ken said with a knowing twitch of his eyebrows.

"What?"

"You like it here, in Musutafu… in U.A. I can see it," Ken whispered.

Akira leaned away and crossed her arms. "M-maybe… It's not that bad…"

"And that is exactly why I think you're having the time of your life. A 'not bad' from you is like a blessing from the Pope. You're very hard to please," He exclaimed with a wry smile. "Maybe, you should learn as much as you can here. Don't you think this is a good avenue for you?"

"I'm not planning to go against my… pretend probation. I know my dad. He might've duped the authorities but he sure as hell gonna take my punishment seriously. Who knows whatever _surprises_ he has in this—" She shook her "manacled" wrist, "—thing. So, yes, I will not escape from my punishment. Despite what people think… I'm quite aware of my shortcomings." Akira sighed.

"I've got the other thing you asked. The duty roster for your childhood home. You're right-" He paused and raised an eyebrow at her as she smirked, "—don't gloat. He has people assigned to the place but only a few to keep it from getting too much attention. Keep it looking like a big lonely house at the end of a road while still protecting. You won't have to sneak in. Just tell them you used to live there."

"Yeah, but they probably won't let me see the whole house… There are a few places I'd like to see inside…. and outside," Akira whispered, rubbing the sleeves of her shirt between her fingers.

To most, Akira looked like a frightened child. With her trembling fingers on her sleeves and her eyes moving around like reading an invisible book, it wasn't difficult to think that way, but Ken knew better.

"You're really doing this, huh… I haven't seen this much enthusiasm since that strangler in Bath two years ago."

"That _thing_ in Bath was easy. The authorities would have taken care of it without our help," Akira stated and warmed her hands on her teacup.

"I still can't believe you cracked that case using a goat's head." Ken smiled with disbelief. It was unfortunate he couldn't go with Akira and Yuki on their short vacation. It sounded like one hell of a riot.

"Correction, it was a ram's head. I stole it from a taxidermist and it was the first time I've ever used my lockpicking skills," Akira said to him with a proud smile.

"You really shouldn't smile while talking to me about a serial killer… It's very… inappropriate," he said but he was grinning as well. Then, they were chuckling lightly at each other. _What does that make me?_ When the mirth evaporated, Ken peered at her again.

"As I said, you really like it here. You should enjoy it. High School is supposed to be a fun place… for most people anyway."

"But we're not most people," Akira said.

"Yeah, but for the first time, you're surrounded by people, who are fighting for the same things as you like… many peas in the same pod. Maybe you've finally found your pod," Ken elaborated. "Don't let this go."

Akira was quiet with contemplation, then spoke. "I can't get attached to these people. If they found out… about everything." She shook her head dejectedly.

"You're thinking too much. I know you're supposed to prepare yourself for every eventuality but you should appreciate the now as well. You're doing great. You really are," Ken assured her. "Now, about your little plan. I'm coming with you."

"N-no, no, you can't come with me. You already had one strike with the authorities. They see you breaking and entering, they're going to put you on a spitroast… and not the sexy kind."

Ken gawked in shock at her words and rolled his eyes a bit. "I'm going with you. Whether you like it or not. I'm the adult here—"

"That is a mild cause for concern."

"–and I should be there with you. I insist. Now… can I walk you home before I take the train back to Tokyo?"

"Yes… of course, and I can show you my favorite potato fry stand," Akira said with a smile.

Ken and Akira left the coffee shop, but the latter didn't leave with good coffee in her mind. Akira's head was heavy with thought and she knew her cousin was, too. There were things her family had taught her. _You watch their back and keep it within the family._ If push came to shove, Akira and Ken would have each other. Their small pod was worth fighting for and Akira would do anything for it.

As always, Ken believed his cousin's strength, and as always, Ken had his fears and one of his greatest was the ghost in his own cousin's dreams. He hoped greatly that it stayed there, in her head, in the lonely house she used to live in. He still couldn't help but be afraid for Akira, because there was one thing he knew about ghosts.

 _Sometimes, they win._

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Sorry for the great delay. I had been swamped with work and fell sick for a few days. It was a real hassle and I also had to revise and change most of the chapter. I'll be going back to my typical posting sched since I follow one to keep myself organized.

\- The last line is from one of my favorite writers, Stephen King: _"Monsters are real, and ghosts are real, too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win."_

\- If anyone's curious, my fave book genres are detective thrillers, mystery and horror. So this fanfic genre is really quite new to me and I greatly hope you, readers, like it.

 _Hello Readers!_

I am very happy for the support this story has gotten. Even the poll gave me quite a jolt when I checked it a few days back. I can't believe that the initial top one choice was overtaken by the top two! Man, it was shocking!

What do you think of Ken?

Chapter IX… _Akira reveals to her uncle the real story behind a mission that ended badly and the repercussions that followed._


	9. Chapter IX: The Breaking of the Shell

**Chapter IX: The Breaking of the Shell**

Song of the Chapter: _Kings and Queens and Vagabonds_ by Ellem

* * *

"Did you get what you needed?" Kurogiri asked behind the counter, wiping the imaginary stain off a scotch glass.

Shigaraki chuckled menacingly, his hands twitching at his sides as he entered the bar and hideout. There was an urge to scratch the itch on his neck but his curiosity had overpowered him; his latest discovery even more.

 _Class 1-A's twenty-first student._

"I didn't think I'd get quality material. But it seemed our little Miss Golden Eyes has secrets of her own," Shigaraki said to his foggy associate. The black smoke that made up Kurogiri's body billowed upwards, and so did the yellow glowing eyes that narrowed at him.

"What kind of secrets?" Kurogiri asked and watched as Shigaraki pulled out his phone. He pressed a few buttons and a recording played of a girl's voice.

"I'm not planning to go against my… pretend probation. I know my dad. He might've duped the authorities but he sure as hell gonna take my punishment seriously. Who knows whatever surprises he has in this—thing. So, yes, I will not escape from my punishment. Despite what people think… I'm quite aware of my shortcomings." There was a tired sigh at the end as if speaking about her _punishment_ exhausted every muscle of her. They could hear the faint sounds of tinkling glass and cutlery in the background.

"I'll thank Giran later for the equipment. It was more than useful I see," Kurogiri said.

"Yes, it was. I wondered what naughty things she did to get that tracker… and her father duping the authorities?… Who is she?" Wondered Shigaraki as his hands trembled even more but not reaching to his neck. A wicked smile was on his face once more. "I have a really good feeling about this."

"A tracker you say? Only offenders on house arrest and the like can get those…" Kurogiri mused and walked closer to Shigaraki who was now sitting on the counter. "I might have to listen to that recording in full… "

"Yeah, you should… 'cause she's planning more trouble." Shigaraki chuckled. "I don't think they have any idea who they're dealing with." There was that smile on the young man's face that made Kurogiri nervous.

"I think we should observe her for awhile, and I have more news for you."

"Hmm? What is it?"

"I heard talk from a few _friends_ … It's been two months and no attack from our mutual underground celebrity," Kurogiri said grimly. "Two to three attacks every month for almost a year and now nothing in two… It's weird." The glass he was cleaning was warm to the touch from anxious hands he didn't know he had.

"Yeah, well, Mr. Smiles didn't attack anyone for about month a few months back. What's the big deal?" Shigaraki whined and leaned on the counter rubbing his temple.

"Nothing. If he's in the wind, then it will be hard to get a chance for a talk. He might listen to our cause. Anyone who could catch a man like the Ghoul is formidable." Kurogiri narrowed his eyes at the youngster. "We need more people like him."

"He attacked both people we know and people we hate. It's kind of confusing. Such a mess," Shigaraki groaned and pulled out a portable console from his pocket.

"Better Smiley than Moonfish. At least he wouldn't talk about how sweet our meat is. Just what I think," Kurogiri wryly said and walked away to arrange the glasses he had cleaned earlier.

Time was of the essence and their Sensei, ever the demanding man, was growing impatient of their lack of progress. The Attack on USJ was supposed to be one hell of an announcement for the League, but instead, it proved All Might's strength once more. It nettled Shigaraki more than anything. His neck had never seen more scratches that day.

"You shouldn't go out anymore. Those wounds you got are still on the mend," Kurogiri said.

"I don't care… Sensei is… angry. I can't let it happen again. All Might must not win. I have a new suggestion. This Stain character… What can you tell me about him?"

"He attacks heroes that don't fit the mold. He's been killing for about ten years. He leaves a few witnesses and survivors. People who got lucky."

"Sounds like our kind of guy… Maybe we should put some time into gaining an audience with him." Shigaraki smirked. Surely, someone like Stain could see what was truly wrong with this world.

"I'll see what I can do… What about her? That girl and that boy who attacked you?"

"I'll have to find out more about them. Don't worry. I'll keep myself away from trouble… but there's something…" Shigaraki mumbled.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"I feel like I've seen her before…it–it's strange…"

There was a memory at the tip of his tongue, at the tip of his brain and it made him uneasy. A subtle ache begins from his fingertips and crept towards his neck.

"Have you met her before?" Kurogiri asked as he walked out of the counter and sat beside Shigaraki, now more curious than ever.

"I don't know, okay?" Shigaraki groaned, teeth clenched and one of his hands had started scratching the indelible itch on his neck. "Gah! It's making my head hurt."

"Okay, calm down. You'll figure it out. In the meantime, we find as much about Stain and whatever you want to know about those students. It seemed Sensei wants to know about them, too."

Kurogiri left Shigaraki alone to his thoughts as he went to the bar's backroom. Something was up with his Sensei and now even more after he mentioned her.

"Watch her, Tomura. She is important. I have plans for her," his Sensei said to him when they last communicated.

 _What plans? What are you not telling me, Sensei? What do you know?_ Shigaraki's head throbbed with questions and it was like grasping at mist. It was there, in front of him, but untouchable with his hands.

 _Everything_ was untouchable with his hands.

"We'll see each other again soon…" Shigaraki whispered. _Very soon_. He opened his phone's gallery and gaze at a photo of the girl with the glowing hands walking out a cafe with a friend.

 _Very soon._

* * *

"If I needed you to bleed I would tell you, okay?" Akira hissed as she stuck pieces of tissue up her nose.

Akira descended the stairs, hoping her uncle wouldn't notice her condition but she wasn't hoping for the best.

"Hey, I've got your omel—" Vlad narrowed his eyes at her. "What's that stuck up your nose?"

"It's nothing…"

"'Nothing'? You're gonna need to put some juice into that lying," he teased, "so what's wrong? You broke your nose or something."

"It's because of my Quirk…" She began. "It's some sort of Quirk fatigue."

"You overused your Quirk? You do know that's bad, right? Aizawa's got that pattern with his students. That Midoriya kid gets his bones broken every time he uses his Quirk. You really shouldn't follow his example," scolded her worried uncle.

"I wouldn't know my strength if I don't test my limits now, would I?" Akira countered with a raised eyebrow as she approached the dining table.

"Well your 'testing your limits' has got you stuffing your nose… and ruining your shirt."

"Uggh…" She groaned and looked down. Dark patches were now on her P.E shirt. "Now, I have to change my-you know what? I'll do it after I eat. I am in dire need of sustenance."

"It's–umm–It's food. Call it 'food'. It's an omelet," Vlad joked. "You feeling anything else… besides a nosebleed."

"A migraine," Akira said, "it comes and it goes."

"Maybe you shouldn't go to training today… Get some rest. You're sick."

"And get a yacking from the 'All-Seeing Eye of Sauron'?"

"Hey, Aizawa doesn't look like it but he'll understand. He hates it every time his students get hurt from their own stupidity. And it's highly irrational for you to break your body in the long run for this," Vlad reasoned and took a sip from his coffee cup. "Rest today… You've trained enough… "

"Fine… Just… Nevermind."

"Say it! Come on! Free speech!" Her uncle roared and patted her on the back for encouragement. Vlad saw her flinch and thought he made the wrong move.

"Chocolates. They—umm—help with the migraines. Just that."

Vlad mussed Akira's hair and he chuckled when she tried to bite him. When her cheerful uncle left, Akira felt a certain warmth had seeped out of the house. She found herself surfing through Youtube videos on the TV. She set a new record low when she ended up confusedly watching a three-minute how-to-bake video and realized thirty minutes later that it was in Russian.

Her mind was muddled and throbbing with a slight ache. A good tea could do the trick. Akira checked the fridge for some ingredients.

"Next, the lem—Fuck the lemons," Akira cursed. _No, don't fuck the lemons._

 _There were no lemons. There were no lemons. Why were there no lemons?_ A trip to the store was needed and so she sent a text message to her uncle telling him her plans to go out.

 _Who ate my lemons?_

 _not me._

 _Liar. Gotta go to the store now._

 _not me. you probably sleep-ate :)_

 _I've never done such a thing._

Akira replied. _Right?_ She wondered. _  
_  
The sky was turbid gray and gloomy and it loomed grimly upon her. A downpour was imminent so she brought an umbrella. Akira never fancied those plastic raincoats. It made her look like the Fellowship of the Ring congregated in a Walmart.

Despite her lack of love for rainwear, Akira enjoyed the rainy days much more than she enjoyed the winter. There was a calm eeriness in snow as they floated and fell unto the ground, ghostly and white all over. It also causes some kind of motion sickness for her since all things covered in white messed up her depth perception. She once fell into a hole in broad daylight one winter morning.

The automated doors of the nearby grocery mart opened to her and immediately, the smell of freshly baked bread tickled her nose as it wafted from the bakeshop at the corner most side of the supermarket. Akira would've shaken Death's hand and any part of them if the Afterlife smelled like this.

"Focus, you are here for the lemons," Akira murmured and she looked ahead like a sailor in the bountiful sea.

The wind had picked up when she was done with her shopping. Akira ended up leaving the supermarket with bargained cans of sweet corn for soup later, some apples, a pack of multicolored pens that she truly needed and of course, lemons.

It was then as she stepped out that Akira heard the faint pitter-patter of rain. With her umbrella opened, she walked carefully and away from puddles, vigilant of the incoming cars that may spray her if they zoomed by. About five minutes away from the supermarket and five minutes from arriving at her uncle's home, she found herself using a shortcut in an alley albeit she didn't enjoy every second of it.

The alley stank heavily of cigarette smoke. It seemed the nearby establishment had used their back alley as a secret smoking area. Akira disliked that scent. It was the smell of lung cancer and lingering anxiety. She had nothing against smokers. One of her paternal uncles was a smoker, she remembered but he always did his smoking away from people.

A faint ringing caught her attention but it wasn't in her head nor from the ghost who whispered in her ear. It was a cellphone ringtone and the scarcely perceptible sound of small objects being strewn about.

Akira kept walking when she made the last turn out of the alley and into the main street, she found the source of the sounds she heard. A bearded man was crouched down on the ground behind a large waste bin, with a what looked to be a woman's bag. The man, too busy on his messing around the items in the bag, didn't notice Akira observing him.

 _That bag isn't yours._ Akira thought although she was never one to judge anyone for their taste in handbags. Yuki would probably kill the man for treating any handbag that way, much more now that Akira could see it up close as she passed the man, and saw that it looked of first-rate quality.

Yes, Yuki would've torn him by the sockets.

Now, like her rotten luck, Akira's meandering was discovered and the bearded man glared and bared his teeth which looked almost shark-like.

"Umm–I'm just gonna go no—"

"Don't fucking move…" He sneered and in his hand a small knife. Akira didn't know if she should laugh for his efforts or for something like this to happen when all she wanted was just to stay away.

The stranger stood upright and was way taller than she calculated. Maybe he had some kind of growth Quirk, she wasn't sure. She could see his chest now, covered in reptilian scales, that she discovered he was only wearing an unbuttoned vest on his upper body. His jeans had the typical holes on them which she had nothing against as well.

Hey, maybe it was couture. Maybe special rats chewed through them.

He pointed the knife menacingly at her but it would've been as dangerous as wet bread flopping on the pavement, but she let him. Just to see what he would do.

"Give me your phone," he ordered.

"I don't have a phone," Akira lied.

"Yeah, right, you kids don't have a fuckin' phone," he hissed at her and took a step closer.

"Y-yeah, I-I don't," Akira lied. _Put some juice into that lyi—_

"You again?" Akira heard someone behind her groan, a familiar voice. "Is this gonna be a–"

"Who the fuck are you?!" The thief growled and Akira slowly turned her head and found Dabi squinting his eyes at the bearded man.

"Hey, I fuckin' asked you a ques—oof!" A flash of light and the man was down on the ground, groaning. Akira had blasted him mid-question. Dabi narrowed his eyes at her.

"What? He stole someone's bag. It was authentic, too," Akira lamented. "I'll just let him sleep. Maybe he's having a bad day and I'll just give the bag to the authorities."

"Wait? Someone tried to mug you and you're worried about some lady's bag?"

"This is a Neverfull Louis Vuitton bag. Authentic! This costs almost two thousand dollars in the market. I am giving this back," Akira insisted.

"Tch, do it later. The rain's getting worse," Dabi told her. "Give me that." He snatched the umbrella from her hand and put it over both of them. Akira yelped.

"Hey! What'd you do that for?"

"What? I'm just- trying to be nice… besides, you're freakin' tiny. If you have been holding this, you wouldn't reach my shoulder," Dabi jested.

 _How dare-_ Akira scrunched her nose and narrowed his eyes at him.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing. We seemed to be meeting each other more often these days," Akira quipped. "You following me or something?"

"No. I take my walks here, too. I am not some creep." Dabi rolled his eyes at her. "What are we gonna do with him?" He asked and watched the unconscious man stir on the wet ground.

Akira's hand glowed and as she flourished a wave, a piece of metal from the large bin broke off with a snap and wrapped around the reptilian chest-man.

"You should get a job," Akira whispered though the man was still asleep, "there's never a reason to mug people."

"What kind of Quirk was that?" Dabi grunted.

"I can blast things… move things… to put it simply," Akira replied. "I'm gonna have to move our thief away from the rain. Being sopping wet is far from comfortable."

"That's a neat Quirk."

"Thanks. It took a while to control it. Got me into a lot of trouble." Akira reached with both delicate glowing hands. The stranger was lifted off the ground and Akira settled him under an area with a roof sticking out. "I'll call the cops on him, but I can't be here… I am so dead."

When she had turned her Quirk off, a haze covered her eyes and the world seemed to dance. Akira reached out for the wall to lean on but found Dabi's arm instead.

"Woah, woah," he said. "What the hell? What's wrong with you?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Akira jabbered, waving her hand about dismissively.

Dabi narrowed his eyes at her. "No, you're not." He pointed at her face.

"Oh, no…" Akira breathed out as she pressed her hand to her nose, which was now bleeding once more. "I need to go… Thanks for today."

"I didn't even do anything," Dabi grumbled and put his hand in his pocket, wrapping the other securely on Akira's arm to keep her upright. When he looked at her to see if she was alright, his eyes fell on her clothes, a black t-shirt, sneakers and U.A P.E pants.

Dabi set Akira down in a waiting shed near a bus stop as she recuperated from her dizziness. The black spots in her vision were starting to go away but not as quick as Akira would like. Dabi sat quietly beside her, hands in his pocket. It wasn't hard to guess that he was deep in thought. The lazy grin on his face was gone, replaced by a pondering frown that made Akira think that something was not right.

"Is something wrong?

"You're a U.A Student?…"

"Y-yes… It's—" Akira began to answer but paused to pull a handkerchief out of her pocket and dab on her nose. "—I've overworked myself so… this happens."

"I just didn't expect you to be a Hero-type," Dabi said, and began walking out of that alley. His mind clicked when he realized something. "It's the Sports Festival, isn't it? That's why you're working too hard."

"Yes, it's that damned festival… I didn't think of myself as a Hero, too. But I did… many things wrong so they put me there. Maybe I'll learn a thing or two."

 _Put you there? Hmm._ "Tch. You'll be disappointed. Heroes aren't as good as people think they are," Dabi scoffed. "Overworking students to the bone should be made illegal."

"Well, believe it or not, my choices led me here so… I have to clean up my own messes," Akira said to him. "I don't mind working hard… and I take breaks. It's why I'm resting today, Dabi. There really is nothing to worry about," she insisted haughtily at him.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. But put this in your head, smarty pants. Don't rely on your heroes too much. One day, they'll let you down. You only have yourself to blame when that happens. So… don't let them beat you into someone else… someone that's not you… " Dabi warned and flicked her on the head. Akira had half the mind to pummel him but found no energy nor mind to do it.

Only the sound of falling rain on the pavement and on the roof above them pervaded. It was a pleasant stimulus, an auditory massage of sorts and the petrichor in her nose lulled her to a calmness she never had before. She wouldn't mind something like this. Dabi was quiet and seemed to be observing and listening as well. The waiting shed by the bus stop had become a welcomed respite.

All Dabi could think of were her words about how she got to U.A. _What did you do, smarty pants?_

But maybe he didn't have to worry. Maybe having something like this wasn't so bad. As impossible as it could seem, he wished this lonesome shed he shared with the girl he saved from a cereal box could last as long as he wants to.

* * *

"Wait… He's dead?"

"Yes."

"Like… dead–dead?"

"What other dead is there?" Akira grumbled.

"No. NO! They can't just kill the main character. Ned Stark was a hero. He was a HERO!" Vlad bellowed.

"Yeah, well his _heroism_ just got him beheaded. It's a cautionary tale. I can't believe you haven't watched this," she said to him with disbelief.

"I can't believe you have! There's a lot of stuff here that isn't for you!"

"Gah! The sex scenes are distractions. I just skip them. I want to see the pieces move. I want to see who gets to have the Iron Throne!" Akira exclaimed vigorously. Vlad had to crane his neck away lest he got hit by a stray elbow.

"You're very into this, aren't you?" Vlad said.

"It's a good show but the books are superior," Akira grumbled. "They are always superior."

"Spoken like a true bookworm…" Vlad mumbled and Akira raised her eyebrow.

Vlad had come home early and since today's training was the last day before the two-day rest for the sports festival's competitors, there was a lot of time for Vlad to finally bond with Akira. He had brought home the chocolates Akira asked and some other goodies. They both ended up in the living room and watching a few TV shows.

"So what made you want to watch this with me?" Akira asked. Beating around the bush wasn't really her thing.

"What do you mean?" Vlad asked. Akira looked away to roll her eyes.

"You tell me what you have to tell me. Is it bad?" Akira asked, and shoved a handful of popcorn into her mouth.

"Remember Aizawa's two favorite words?"

"Hot Topic?"

"Please don't let him hear you say that," Vlad scolded her although he had a sly grin on his face.

"Okay, okay, it's logical ruse… Yeah, a few of the class has regaled me about the near—expulsion experience they had on their first day. He really likes to make an impression, that Aizawa," Akira told him with a flourish of her hands. Her uncle chuckled but the mirth died on his face. Akira sat up straight to listen to him.

"What was your ruse? How did you did you do it? How did you get to those people? You aren't some psychopath," Vlad's questions came tumbling out.

"People have stereotypes. Wear certain clothes, make-up, hairstyle. They make a story in their heads before the facts," Akira began to answer. "The point is to feed those stories. Then, anyone can be invisible."

"Tell me more," Vlad instructed.

Akira sighed. "What I meant is that… My ruse is to give in to people's… stereotypes… I am young so I must dumb and naive. I am a little girl so I must be breakable." She chuckled and leaned on the couch. "It's easy. Those burdens on my form have been in the world since the beginning of man."

 _Form?_ Vlad squinted his eyes at her but she paid him no mind. _You Optimus Prime?_

"Okay, so your ruse was you made yourself look like you can't hurt a fly."

"I smile a lot, too… which really hurt my face. I don't know how normal people do it. They all must be half-mad." Akira hated it, having to smile for someone else's sake, but the look of surprise when she messed up their day was more than worth it. It was a cross between It and Keeping Up With the Kardashians. There was a lot of faking it except this one had people shitting their pants.

"Tell me about Hasegawa," Vlad said.

"Why?"

"Well, to tell you the truth Aizawa and Naomasa-san has been wanting to ask you about the whole _vigilante thing_. You were seen in the Tokyo Snakes operation and we found some DNA on all the Smiley cases. One of it was a match to yours but… we never asked you the specifics. I want to know more about what happened. Why did it end Hasegawa that way? I know you wouldn't anything like that." He said. "All the other folks you got to all ended up spilling the beans and getting arrested."

Akira took a sip from her soda and spoke, "I took interest in him after he gave you the slip for the third time."

"In all instances, we had witnesses against him but—"

"But they disappeared. I don't blame the heroes. I could see you did everything you could within the scope of the law," Akira told him. "So I set my sights on him. He was a businessman connected to multiple gangs specializing in smuggling and money laundering. He lended them his-uhh- services. Al Capone wouldn't have gone to prison if he had someone like Hasegawa on his side."

"He's that good?"

"Yeah," Akira answered, "that's why I don't blame you guys for letting him get away."

"So what went wrong?"

Vlad could see that she was hesitating. She was wringing her hands and both her thumbs were digging and scratching into her pointer fingers. He remembered his conversation with Aizawa.

"This is between the both of us. I'll tell Aizawa what he wants to hear, but the specifics will stay between us, okay?" Vlad assured her and Akira nodded.

So Akira told him. Told him how she tailed him for days, listening to his conversations, knowing who his friends are, the people who he hates.

"I had to look up his bodyguards, you know. Who they were. What their Quirks were. Ken jacked up my phone and hacked their credit cards so I could tell what they're into. Buying patterns. Favorite coffee shop," Akira divulged with a wry smile.

"You're thorough… but it's still illegal."

 _Your taste in coffee is illegal._ Akira thought.

"I finally had a chance to… interrogate him," she continued. "He had some kind of a summer home in Yakushima. He only brought a few guards and his family was away for a few days to Europe, so… "

Hasegawa was a stubborn man albeit a little entertaining. Despite his ego and his far from legal activities, he had wit in him. In the three hours she kept him tied to a chair in a hotel room, sans the time she had to transport him in a dessert trolley, Akira found no dull moment spent with him.

"If I had to choose to marry either a wet moldy bread or Endeavor, I would eat that bread. I would make love to that bread," he said and Akira had nodded at him with agreement.

But the fun had to end. When Akira had finally asked him who was making the gang piss their pants, she didn't expect him to do the same. Hasegawa was frightened of whoever he pledged his allegiance to.

"I'm not telling you anything man," Hasegawa had hissed at her smiling mask, "I'll be torn apart by his freaks if I did. Just let me go. For both our sakes."

There, at that moment of resistance from him that she heard those small bells, and ever since she had been hearing it more and more every day, clearer than she had before. The sound was always there, she guessed, but now that she had turned her ear to it, she couldn't stop but listen to them.

"So you let him go…?" Her uncle finally spoke through the silence.

"Yes… but not before I… used my Quirk on him. I always had a theory that my ability was more than just… moving objects and blasting them." Akira clenched her jaw.

"What do you mean?"

"I can sense things from people. It's a sound that others don't hear. Sounded like bells… bells on strings…"

Then Akira pulled on them and pulled on them. Louder and louder they rang. Every ring was the song of a child's cry, the hiss of a man's envy and the whimper of prey's fear.

"What did you do?"

"I saw his fears, his pain, his happiness and every tug I gave the bells within him… It was like… he was reliving them…" Akira whispered. "What was I to do? I didn't know I could even—even do that… So I… let him go… I made him forget… He didn't have anything I needed."

"So why did it happened? Why would Hasegawa hurt his own family? From what I heard, he was an asshole but… he never would have done that to his own wife, his own home," Vlad said. "So why?"

"The way that I see it… is that he was a frightful man. Whatever I did to him," Akira sighed, "planted some kind of fear and then he became paranoid… then…he…"

"Wait, you made him forget? How?"

"Whatever I did to him… it messed him up a bit… Made him delirious... I was… glad that he was okay when I heard about what happened to him after our encounter. But I guess he wasn't alright after all…" Akira shivered and Vlad narrowed his eyes at her.

"So… this thing that you did to him… Did you use it again?" Vlad asked but Akira looked at him appalled.

"No. No, I didn't use it ever again… I even stopped for a month, remember?… I've done fewer missions afterwards… not as much as before… Whatever I did to him, left echoes," Akira firmly said. "You forced my hand in the Tokyo Raid so I had to use a weaker version of it. It only made gang members there delirious but that's about it. It's… poisonous. Whatever they feel… they stick to you."

"He survived, you know?" Vlad said to her, "he survived for about two days then passed away. His burns were really bad."

"I-I see." Akira looked down on her feet. A not-so-distant memory called out to her, unknown to her uncle.

 _"It's you… I know it's you… You've come for me then."_

 _Hasegawa looked at her as if they were old friends. Akira could only guess it was the medication they were pumping him. The bells around him resounded with relief.  
_

"I wouldn't be surprised that you didn't know. We kept that fact from the mainstream media. He was in a critical condition and a lot of people hated him."

 _"I'm sorry… I didn't intend for this to happen…" She said to the burned man on his deathbed. Akira sat beside him, her heart quivered and wished it wasn't there._

"He wouldn't have survived with that kind of injury… The shock would have been too much for him," Akira replied to her uncle but the latter shook his head.

 _"No… I'm in a lot of pain… but I could see… so much more… now…" Hasegawa slurred._

 _The burnt husk of a man was unrecognizable. Nearly half of his body was immolated. His hair was gone and the wounds that covered him were fresh and slick of fluid._

 _"This is not my intent—"_

 _"It wasn't your fault," he cut her off._

"He didn't die from his wounds, Aki. He—he died from a morphine overdose. The machine he was hooked up to gave him a little bit more than was needed." Vlad sighed mournfully. "He didn't wake up anymore."

 _"I will… tell you… who… who did this to me…"_

 _"You didn't do this? But—"_

 _"I… was betrayed… by someone in… my own… house–household…" He heaved out a hard painful cough. Breathing, she could see, was the hardest thing to do for him. "He knew my… silence… silence was… never guaranteed… I was a loose end… and your attack on me… made him nervous…"_

 _"Who… who did this to you?" Akira whispered and walk towards him. Hasegawa weakly beckoned her to listen closer._

 _"Stay… stay away from him… you don't want this man after you… he's the… the Devil incarnate…" He whispered to her ear._

 _"I need to know. So this doesn't happen again," Akira whispered back._

 _"If that is… what you want… in one… condition…" He took a deep languid breath. Then turned his head to the machine beside him, the analgesic pump. Akira looked at him, mouth agape, in sheer horror at what he was asking._

 _"No. NO. I won't do that. I'm not a killer." Akira walked and turned away from him._

 _"That is my… condition… What I know… for what you'll give me… You need justice. This… is justice."_

 _"Not like this," Akira refused once more._

"Did he do it to himself? Or…?" Akira asked while crossing her arms and taking another sip from her soda can.

"I think he did it to himself. He was conscious. He was aware of his pain. He lost his home, his wife. I'd go crazy if I'd been him. He wasn't paralyzed. One press of his finger would have done it."

Akira nodded at her uncle. "I'm gonna go clean this up." She took the wrappers, empty cans and empty bags of chips and took them to the kitchen, sighing loudly as she threw to the bin.

As clear as day, she remembered the last moments she had Hasegawa. No force in the world would have made her forget.  
 _  
"Thank you," Hasegawa whispered to her. He weakly tugged at her sleeve and she kneeled close to his face. His eyes were slowly closing._

 _"Tell me… Please… let me do this for you…"_

 _"All For One," he whispered. "All for One…"_

Those three words, Hasegawa's swan song before the inevitable long beep, the end of the line, were Akira's only clue to the festering wound that is the underbelly of Musutafu and the whole country itself, taken from a man in pain who wished for death, given to a girl who knew too much yet knew too little.

"Aki," her uncle called out to her, "it's not your fault it ended up that way."

Akira didn't look at him. If she did, he could see that she was far from innocent.

 _All for one._ She thought. Whatever Hasegawa meant, she would find out what the words meant.

 _I'll sink my teeth into you and never let go._

She would make sure of it, that if this Devil's Incarnate were to try and stop her, they would find, rather unfortunately, that they would have to tear their own flesh to do so.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!**

Late is the hour of this upload! I know! I thank you for waiting on this update. I underestimated just how busy December and January is for me in the family. It's basically a two-month reunion full of pre-pre-pre-pre-parties that I have to prepare for since me and my mom liked to cook. Also, this chapter had a lot of changes. So… like I said, thank you for waiting.

So 2019 is here and I tell you fics are coming as well. Besides Project Ultrabright and the second volume of this story, which I haven't put a name to yet, there will be another fic for another fandom. Another fandom that I truly, immensely love, in all its media, and will begin its final season this April! You know what it is! It's still in concept form, nothing tangible yet so if you're into the GOT fandom, this fanfic will be for you.

 _Chapter X... Finally, the visit to Akira's old home happens. A ghost appears._

 **Follow and review if you like this story :)**


	10. Chapter X: Homecoming

**Chapter X: Homecoming**

Song of the chapter: Ocean by Khalid

Slight gore warning.

* * *

There was a squall in his gut, but Ken could only stare at the pink-orange sky and let the singing of birds calm him. Nothing else would at the moment. From the very second his eyes opened for the day, his nerves were fraught with tension. Today was Akira's visit to her childhood home.

Ken checked his phone, and saw the '1 missed call' on his screen and thought, "this can't be good." Seeing Akira's contact name on it only made his stomach churn. _Was she getting cold feet?_ Ken thought. He should call her.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Uncle woke me up… says-uhh-" Ken could almost hear Akira trying to form words like building a wall with a teaspoon. "I-uhh-umm-He-"

"Go on take your time."

"—uhh-I have to get ready but I've been ready since last night so I'm awake now…. And you know me, I can't go back to sleep once I'm interrupted- Oh God! My phone charger!"

"Uhuh?" Ken heard some rustling and a pitiful thud followed by an "oof" on the other line.

"Oh, thank goodness… it's here. False alarm." Akira said with a relieved sigh.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes! I'm splendid." There was a mild pause.

"Plans are still a go, right?" Ken asked again. Akira wasn't functioning at the moment.

"Yes. Of course, they are. You don't have to worry about _anything-_ -Bye."

"Bye?" _Don't worry? Don't worry?! Excuse you, have you met me?!_ His thoughts screamed.

Was he happy that her uncle, who seemed like a stand-up guy and a good person in general, took her in? Yes.

Was he gonna stop worrying for his cousin, the magnet for anything that defines deadly? No. Never.

Not with her red-eyed ghost, not with whatever their family was hiding. Forget skeletons in the closet, the Terminator's there! It's coming for all of them and there was no stopping it. Truth will out, so they said.

Ken left the house and off to check on the cafe before leaving, with a hint of tension in his bones. Maybe the drive would give him some peace, he thought.

It did not.

On his drive there, a small group of people had congregated on the street where a checkpoint stood, which was about ten feet from him. A few traffic enforcers had been installed together with the police. It seemed the public was still reeling from the attacks on U.A, which was unsurprising. Law enforcement was still on high tension. Ken rolled his window down and tilted his head out.

"What happened, sir?" Ken asked.

"A little kitten got hit by a car. The men are just cleaning it up double time. It's ghastly," the middle aged policeman in the uniform sadly explained. "Don't want the school kids to see it. Poor kitty… "

"Y-Yeah, I agree."

"Sir, identification please and kindly open your trunk. We're conducting inspections," the policeman instructed as he gestured towards the back.

"Yes, sure." Ken couldn't help but gulp a bit. Shuffling towards the back of the car, the policeman shined his light on the trunk's compartment.

"Nice present. Going to a party?" The man asked.

"Baby shower. Cousin's got a new kid."

"Oh? Congratulations, then." He took one last glance and walked back to Ken to give his documents back. "Everything seems to be in order, have a good day, sir."

"T-Thanks, you, too."

When it was finally time to move on, Ken's nearness gave him the opportunity to see where the corpse was, and regretted it immediately.

The brown-red gore had stuck to the white paint of the pedestrian crossing lines, making somewhat of a morbid Pollock artwork on it. The workmen looked to be scraping something off the ground with a tool and then, he saw it. One of the men had lifted the corpse by its tail, a black kitten of about a few days old, broken and nearly unrecognizable, and when they tried to put it in a trash bag, the kitten's jaw dislodged itself and fell to the ground with a wet thud, together with its… other bits. Ken had to look away, or risk losing what little breakfast he ate this morning.

It was barely sunrise yet dead little kittens had already made themselves known.

 _Oh, Atlas, light of my life._ Ken sighed to himself as he saw his little haven.

Atlas was a quaint little coffee shop, sticking out prettily within Tokyo's concrete metropolis, a mixture of wood, glass, and glitter on dark blue night-sky paint that Aki loved and picked for him. His beloved brain-child sprang out in full-form out of his head the way Pallas Athena did with her asshole of a father. Ken rolled his car into the parking lot and even there he could smell the lingering scent of coffee and sweets with a hint of spice.

"Hey, boss! Aren't you supposed to be on vacation?" Asahi asked from one of the tall stools, book and sandwich on his table, a dark-skinned man of late twenties with brown hair running from his head down to his spine. His lupine-like Quirk gave him a sinister henchman vibe that put off a lot of people, which was the farthest thing from who he was. Asahi was an accountant who did the cafe's books. He wasn't a dangerous man contrary to what most people thought of him. He was more like a puppy who loved numbers and gnawing on carrot sticks.

Asahi squinted his eyes at something behind Ken. The latter knew he was looking at the parking lot. "New car?" Asahi asked.

"Renting. Mine's in the shop for a couple days. I just have a few things to leave behind before I go." Ken handed him one of his "baby shower gifts" and gave Asahi a knowing look.

"Ahh, our anonymous patron sends their regards. How much is it this time?" Asahi took the package from him.

"Two hundred fifty thousand."

Asahi whistled. "Your business partner's got some serious dough. You—uhh-sure they're fine with this. They just dropped my someone's whole year like it was pocket change."

"Yeah, they've got money to burn. I told you before they like coffee shops and they want to support us," Ken reasoned.

"I'd like to meet 'em someday." Asahi took a bite out of his sandwich as he read his book.

"Hey, I thought that would be you," said the woman behind the counter. Karin was covered in the palest greens, her mint eyes wise and piercing. Her coloring, gave her the appearance of a tree nymph which wasn't too far from her Quirk. "You here for something, Ken? I thought you'd be on your way now. God knows you need a vacation after well… the whole police debacle." She waved

"Yeah, Karin, I'll be on my way since you're so eager to get rid of me," Ken joked.

"Oh, please. How's Aki by the way? Such a shame she isn't living with you now. Her parents really are quite the people, aren't they…"

"Y-yeah, they are." Ken didn't want to tell the his coworkers, of course, that the reason Aki had to leave was because she was a masked vigilante, hell bent on uncovering Musutafu's underworld and razing it to the ground with her mind powers, so he concocted a lie about Akira's parents sending her to U.A because they thought her Quirk would be wasted on anything else other than becoming a hero.

Aki's situation with her parents was a complicated one, but they were still good people. It hurt him a bit that he had to put _that_ kind of picture into other people's heads, but this lie was safer, more acceptable than the truth.

"One day, I tell ya!" Karin hissed, wagging her finger in front of her, "I'll have words with her parents. I'll give 'em a piece of my mind. I don't care if they're rich as fuck but hell, no one should be taken away like that."

"You do that, Karin. I'd cheer you on," Ken laughed and leaned close to Karin to give her a hug.

"By the way, I made Aki her favorite. The Diabeetus Box…" Karin handed him one of their large dark blue boxes.

"Thank goodness we didn't officially name it like that." Ken stared at the partially opened box full of sweets.

"A-are those red velvet cupcakes?" Asahi stuttered as he looked over to the pair and into the box in Ken's arms.

"Yep, with full on piped cream cheese and sprinkled with powdered chocolate, brownies with cashew nuts and pastel colored macarons. Girl needs a huge 'cheer-me-up' and this is it." Karin proudly gestured to the death-by-sugar creation only a madwoman like herself could ever put together. Asahi looked like he was about to cry them a river and drown everyone.

"How come you never make me anything?" Asahi whined.

"You're anti-gluten, ya tit," Karin snarked, "any way, I'd make you some of them cupcakes but if I feed you anything with gluten, you'd do the three-hour tango in the toilet."

"Story of my life," Asahi mumbled and went back to reading his book. "Born a meat-eater. Likes cake instead."

"Oh, don't be so sad. We've got the weekend to ourselves. Let's enjoy it." Karin then glided her eyes to Ken and pulled open the mini-fridge behind the counter to get a bottle of wine. Ken never got the taste for strong alcohol but he had a sweet-tooth. Karin slipped it into a tall glistening paper bag

"Here," she said to Ken as she handed him her own gift but the latter hesitated. "Come on, kid. Take it. It's not every day I could give ya something." He took a peek inside and sent her a raised brow.

"You know I'm the designated driver, right?"

"I'm not saying to crack it open NOW ... but when you need to. WE all need a drink at some point."

Like one of those TV show new season recap, Ken's mind zoomed through the months leading up to this very second, to this very moment as his hand wrapped around the smooth glass of the wine bottle. His thoughts raced from the plans he and Aki had laid out for this weekend to all the possible repercussions if it all came together.

Ken nearly opened the bottle right then and there.

* * *

Akira dreamt she was a child again, back in her home in Akita with her parents. She was having breakfast with them, the way it was a long time ago, when they were happy and peaceful. Her mother was smiling at her, telling her stories about the kids in her pedia ward. Her father offered to take her to the park and to that ice cream parlor she'd been wanting to go. All was well until she saw the person sitting next to her-her ghost, faceless she was, yet Akira knew she was staring at her. The whole room seemed to deafen into a sickening silence-FWOOM!

The little girl bursted into flames, her little black dress immolated. The fire spread throughout the floor and engulfed the dining room in heat. Akira could only watch as her home burned, and the flames licked and danced on her flesh. _No, please._ She begged but no voice, no sound would ever come out. Her ghost stood before her, still on fire, her flesh exposed; she reached out and wrapped her tiny hands around her neck and opened her mouth.

Aki...

Aki...

"Aki!"

She sat up frantically, looking around and found her uncle's hand on her shoulder, his eyes full of worry. Akira could still feel the flames eating away at her skin. "Aki, your alarm was ringing. You wouldn't wake up." She had dozed off it seemed, on the couch beside her overnight backpack. Looking a little tousled, she went to bathroom to wash her face and fix herself.

The roots of her hair had started to lose its color. Akira leaned and peered closer to her reflection and to the errant strands of temporary-colored hair on her face. It wasn't her first choice of colors, but there was something in every instance she looked to her reflection, her face, her hair, that made her want a little modification. A bit of highlights here and there, and once, she colored her hair pastel pink. At some point, she wanted to try colored contacts to change the gold of her eyes, but it irritated her endlessly so she gave up on that.

It wasn't that she hated how she looked, but there some sort of " a little to the left" eeriness to it. Like her face wasn't hers.

She shook herself from the thought. _You're being too silly._

"Aki?" Her uncle called out. "You ready? I just got a text from Ken. He's close."

"Yes, just a minute." Akira said as she dabbed grapefruit-colored tint on her lips. _Grapefruit, the un-grapest looking fruit._

"You've got my number in your phone, right?" Vlad said to her as she came down the stairs.

"I've got it in my head, too. Don't worry, geez."

Vlad ruffled Akira's hair. He couldn't help but worry, and their talk last night did nothing to calm him down. He would have to report what she told him but there was a part of him that thought she wasn't telling him everything. Maybe he was just being paranoid. It wasn't an easy thing to talk about.

"Such a shame you can't stay for karaoke night, Aki, but I guess it's for good. There's alcohol and Midnight will be there,too," Vlad ruefully said.

"That doesn't sound so bad. Mom says you get pretty fired up at karaoke…"

Vlad was taken aback. "Wh-what?! No! Pfft-" He laughed and waved his hand around dismissively. "I-I-don't-pffft!" He snorted, then paused.

"What did your mom say about me?"

Akira plopped herself on the couch beside her uncle. "She says you hog the microphone and you got drunk once and gave your date a projectile nosebleed."

 _How DARE she…_ Vlad wanted to flip a table. _You can't just tell kids stuff like that!_ There was an embarrassing blush on his face and it was redder than all the blood in his body combined.

"Must have been one hell of a date," Akira said in between chuckles. "Did you buy her drink first before-before you-" She started laughing again while doing sprinkling motions with her hands in front of her nose.

"Ugghh…" He nearly begged. "Don't make fun. Someday, you'll have those moments, too."

"Well, you're not wrong there. I nearly choked on a chicken bone on my first date with Yuki," Akira mused. "The most dishonorable death I could ever imagine." Her last words would have been "this gravy's bland and I want to call the health inspector", like a bootlegged Gordon Ramsay.

"So-uhh-Yuki, is it? She's your-uhh-girlfriend. So-so you're into girls?" Her uncle asked, a little unsure on how to start. He's not one to judge but he wanted Akira to talk to him about these things.

"Umm-uh-I don't know." Akira shrugged.

"Whaddaya mean you don't know?!" _HoW caN you nOt kNow whO to LikE?!_ Vlad felt his brain being thrown into a blender.

"I mean, I don't know! It was a good idea a year ago, but- but- it doesn't matter anymore, okay? We aren't together. I mean we're still close friends but-" Akira sighed. "It didn't work out."

"I wish there was some proper manual on how-to-be-not-an-asshole-to-someone-you-like. I've read at least-" Akira paused and peered at her hands, fingers flexing and counting, "-nine books on relationship advise. I did everything they told me. I listened to her."

"Okay?"

"I spent time with her..."

"That's good..."

"I even gave her piggybacks..."

"Uhuh?"

"What did I do wrong?"

"She found out, did she?" Vlad finally asked.

"Yeah, she did... Why do you think I stopped... She was livid."

Vlad remembered there was a large amount of inactivity months before the Tokyo Snakes incident. This Yuki must have been one hell of a personality to be able to convince her to stop. "Guess your relationship books didn't account for vigilante activity, huh?"

"No, they didn't." Akira sighed.

Her uncle gave her a reassuring pat. "I don't think it ever really works out the first time." Vlad checked his watch.

"I never really got to talk to Ken. He seemed to be a nice guy, except the fact that he was your accomplice." Vlad gave her an amused look. "I'm curious. How did you rope him into helping you?"

 _I got shot and nearly bled out in the back of his old Corolla._ She owed him a new car. "I don't know what you're talking about."Akira denied, with a faint smirk on her lips.

"Wha-?" Vlad's eye twitched but the bell rang for them before he could say anything else.

 _For whom the bell tolls,_ Akira thought."Ah! He's early," Vlad exclaimed. "Punctual, huh?"

 _No. He's pissing his pants and can't wait to get away from you._ Akira merely gave him a tight smile, the same one you gave when you took the biggest shit in a friend's house and prayed to the toilet for cooperation.

Her uncle opened the door to Ken wearing the same face Aki did at the moment. Her cousin had a small dark blue box of, Aki figured, goodies from Atlas _._ She nearly grinned at that. _Yes, yes… do it._ She thought diabolically behind her uncle as Ken handed him the box.

"Here's some treats from Tokyo," Ken said. Her uncle meekly took a peek in the box and smiled greedily.

"Are these RED VELVET CUPCAKES?!" Vlad roared. "I love red velvet."

Ken looked at Aki and winked at her, the smug little shit. Her uncle cleared his throat after his little outburst, trying, but failing, to regain some composure. Akira snorted. She couldn't blame him. She looked down on her collared blue dress and frowned.

"Gotta get something first." Akira ran back to her room, leaving Ken and Vlad in the living room.

Ken gulped, his fear realized. He could have just begged Aki to stay and not leave him with her cupcake-loving uncle, but for someone tiny, Aki could really sprint when the occasion called for it.

"So… we finally get to talk after the whole arresting incident," Vlad began. "But before that, this little vacation of yours, you know what it means, right?"

"It's a test, I know," Ken answered.

"If you guys get in trouble-"

"I go to jail for aiding and abetting, Akira goes to a Quirk Detention Facility for under-aged offenders. Yeah, I know. You arrested me remember." Ken frowned at him.

"Well, that's not actually what's gonna happen…"

"What?"

"She didn't tell you."

"Didn't tell me what?"

"Oh no…" Vlad sighed. "She didn't tell you? When she was taken into custody, believe it or not, most of the evidence against her would've been circumstantial. Even the DNA that matched with you…"

"My DNA…?" Ken's eyes widened at his words. They did take a swab from hi-goddammit! He should've really listened to Akira's rants on police protocols. "Where did you get my—nevermind—evidence is circumstantial?"

"Yeah, but, since only your DNA was found and you are an adult, the authorities thought Akira would be… too young to do all of those vigilante acts. They were gonna pin it on you."

He couldn't find his voice then for a few seconds. "You mean—?"

"Akira, she—she confessed. To everything. Even gave us a flash drive full of evidence.. Guess she knew that one day she'd have to tell the truth to someone somehow." Vlad gave him a compassionate pat on his shoulder. "Don't be too angry… She cares about you apparently."

"Well, she has a funny way of showing it." Ken gritted his teeth. _This little bitch and her ways,_ he thought albeit sadly. He wanted to cry. When Ken joined in on her _project_ , he was well aware of the risks. He knew! But Akira had plans of her own it seemed as she was willing to take the punishment for it. Ken didn't like it. He didn't like it one bit.

He heard her go down the stairs, and immediately, filed this information down at the back of his head. He would talk to her, but not now, they've got bigger fish to fry.

"You ready to go?" Vlad asked her and Akira nodded.

When Akira and Ken got to the car, the latter gave her a tight smile. Akira blinked at him. "Nice jacket." Akira had donned a dark blue collared dress, black sneakers and a grey bomber jacket.

"Thanks, got it on sale a few months back together with a few lip tints. In fact, wearing it right now."

"Yeah?..." Ken squinted his eyes at her face. Indeed, her lips had a different hue, a translucent red-orange. "Nice color. What's that? Coral? Scarlet?" _Ahh… Colors used to be so simple._

"Grapefruit. But it tastes like orange when I put it on…." Akira looked towards the backseat and found a gift box with a bow on and with her Quirk, the box hovered towards her as a golden light wrapped around it.

"Ahh hello," Akira whispered as Ken started the car. "Did you give my donations to Atlas?"

"Yep, Asahi is your greatest fan. I think he would probably tattoo your name on his chest if he knew."

She untied the bow and opened the parcel. Inside, rows of bundled yen in the highest denomination, neatly stacked and still with its trademark money crispness. The box was stuffed full of cash, and was externally decorated with "Best Wishes" and "Congratulations" in glitter and pastel, unassuming and too pure to be carrying gang money.

"Let's get this freak show on the road," Akira said, a knowing smile on her face as the car drove away.

* * *

"Got something for us, Giran?" Tomura drawled, not even bothering to look up from his game.

Giran entered the old bar and eyed Tomura on one of the tall stools and his gaseous companion behind the counter. They both looked at him and the large envelope he had in his arm.

"Do you want the somewhat good news? Or the bad news?" Giran asked and took a seat two chairs away from Tomura. He really didn't want to have parts of him vacuumed after this.

Tomura ended his game and faced Giran. "Let's get the bad news first."

"Okay, bad news first. You asked about what happened to our Tokyo Snakes friends. Well, they are officially gone." Giran pulled out files from his envelopes, pictures, names and mugshots in it. He heard the young man beside him wince. "Their assets had been frozen and a majority of its members including top dogs had been busted about a month back."

"Dammit. They promised us some of their people." The Tokyo Snakes were a gang specializing in stolen goods, contraband weaponry, armed robberies and once, the selling of Trigger, a Quirk enhancing drug, which they later abandoned after many of their suppliers were caught.

"That's a shame. Their equipment helped us in attacking U.A," Kurogiri said to the boy, but all he could hear was-SCRATCH- SCRATCH-SCRATCH- "Shigaraki?"

"No-no-Nothing's going right-" Shigaraki groaned out, scratching his neck furiously in a fit. "Master will be angry again!"

"Calm yourself, Shigaraki," Kurogiri ordered the boy, yellowish eyes glinting at him, "there is still the good news."

"Well, I wouldn't call it news… but a working theory, because something fishy happened, boss." Giran grinned at them and Shigaraki stopped his scratching.

"What is it?"

"I hacked into the police database. I wanted to know if any of the big wigs from the Snakes got away. The arrests took about three days to get all of 'em but… " He pulled out more documents. "It's this thing that really bothers me."

Kurogiri walked out of the counter and was now beside Shigaraki, scrutinizing the papers spread out before them.

"Equipment records?"

"Not just equipment records, everything tagged under the Tokyo Snakes arrest like equipment such as firearms, capture weapons, Quirk restraints, whatever is recorded there." _The government and their lists._ Bureaucracy seemed to be working in their favor right now.

"So what did you find?" Shigaraki eyed him a bit impatiently.

"It's this." Giran pointed at another document.

"What is CASSIOPEIA P2000? And why is it listed as heavy machinery?" Kurogiri asked.

"I did my research and I found out that Cassio-whatever- is an Anti-Psionic Restraint." He pointed at a printed picture of a stark white chair with multiple attachments on it, such as a flat overhead sticking out like one of those salon chairs. "It's basically the Big Daddy of Quirk restraints. State-of-the-art, reads vital signs and of course, psionic activation, which is still a mystery how they made that."

"Of course, that thing sticking out on top is probably a neural sensor. Technologies like that are heavily guarded industry secrets," Kurogiri added. _The Lady in the Chair, how fitting, he thought._

"So what's your point with all this? What's so important about the damned chair?" Shigaraki asked, scratching a bit on his neck again.

"Well, look-" Giran, a bit annoyed now, spread out the mug-shots and personal information, "-look at this. LOOK AT THIS! Does any of them scream 'dangerous psionic' to you? The closest thing to a psychic or anyone with mind-powers they arrested is a tactile mind-reader! They don't need that Cassie thing. It's overkill."

"Maybe they requested it just in case they find someone dangerous like that," Kurogiri reasoned but Giran shook his head at him.

"No, this thing isn't just a chair. This thing is surrounded by armored glass that could withstand a twelve-gauge up close, so no... That's like trying to rent a tank "just in case" ..."

Shigaraki paused his scratching at looked at the spread in front of them, and smiled. "So you're saying… that whoever it was intended for is not on the list of arrests."

"Or they got away. This equipment was used less than 12 hours after the raid on the Snakes. They might have given the cops the slip."

"That extra machinery… They must be pretty powerful…" Shigaraki mused and grinned. "This might be what we're looking for."

"You want me to find whoever this is, boss?" Giran already knew this, and he wouldn't mind. He loved the scurrying about.

"Start with the Snakes... Do everything you need to do." Their cause was worth the risk and whoever this… monster of a mind they are looking for, Shigaraki was truly, madly, deeply excited to meet them.

* * *

"Pass me the macarons, will you?" Akira said, binoculars held infront of her eyes. She had been trying to reach for a snack. Ken chuckled as he passed her the sweet. "What? It's not my fault I'm size Danny Devito."

—Scratch-Scratch- She heard Ken turn on the radio. "... the burned victims are said to have been selling narcotics to youngsters…" The radio newscaster reported. "No suspects yet to such a heinous crime-"

"Euugh, burned people… It keeps getting worse every day, huh?" Ken mumbled as he listened.

 _It always is._ "How many people are we dealing with here?"

"The estate is large but not much of importance inside I guess, 'cause they have about three people in there including the caretaker," Ken answered.

"Honda-san…?"

"Hmm?"

"Honda-san, he's the caretaker…I don't…know why I know that. I remember him. He used to take us to school…"

"Ahh, I see." Ken considered an option. "Maybe you don't need to break-in. Maybe you could just pay him a visit…"

"At this hour?… I don't like bothering people… besides I have a good feeling that Honda-san would inform Dad about it. We don't have a choice but to sneak in." They both sighed. It seemed the stars are not in place for both of them right now. They haven't been for a while.

Midnight soon befell them, and Akira finally made her move to enter her estranged home. She had changed into a black hoodie, black leggings and boots of the same color.

"I don't know what to look for in there. It might take longer than expected," Akira mused. "If I don't come back after two hours… Go back home."

"Hey-hey, wait-"

"Ken, I can get away from the guards." Akira tied her hair in a messy bun. "You can't. You barely even exercise. You might as well have a flight of stairs as your nemesis."

"Ouch… I know that, I just-" Ken paused. "I know you took on the onus of responsibility when we got arrested."

"Yes, as I should. Who else would take responsibility?"

"That-that's not what I'm trying to say. What I mean is that you're doing that whole 'I'll do everything and no one's gonna say otherwise' schtick again. Always… Always…" He sighed. "I wanna help. I wanna be your chair-guy, okay?"

Akira looked towards the house... and back to her cousin. "Okay, then. But you stay here."

"Fine. I'm only one call away. I'll be watching the cameras, too."

"Okay, thanks." Akira walked out of the car and into the small wilderness outside. Ken, however, couldn't hide a certain amount of both excitement and anxiety and so continued to check his laptop.

DING! "Huh?" He looked to the backseat and saw Akira's phone alight with a message.

 _Irene: You up?_

Ken frowned. "Who's Irene?"

* * *

Her childhood home was in a secluded area, fairly far from the city. The prominent houses in the neighborhood were far apart and had a thick border of trees in between. It looked more of a forest park than an exclusive village, a hinterland between the hum of a city and the quiet.

A faint memory played behind Akira's mind of a little girl with golden eyes taking a stroll in the forest trails, magnifying lens in hand, trying to find every curious little critters living under logs, in treeholes, and in ponds. It was odd, remembering the memory, like watching a snuff film of someone else's life; but Akira treasured such oddity nonetheless. She had so few mementos of that age and of this place after all.

Akira wasn't too old. It wasn't like decades had passed since she left this home, and yet… It would've been easier to cook egg on ice than pull on those memories. She hated not knowing and barely remembering.

But the house in front was not a mere dream anymore. It was wood and stone and every beat of Akira's fearful heart. "Ken, can you hear me?"

"Yeah, I'm here."

"Are we good to go? The cameras—"

"–Are on a loop. You're good to go."

"Thank you, Ken…" Akira whispered, "for this."

"Just be careful, okay?"

Arms outstretched at her sides, palms glowing, Akira slowly soared above the ground and over the wrought iron gate. It was a skill she had used before. Albeit a little clunky at first, the training for the Sports Festival had fine-tuned her levitating. She let out a sigh of relief when her feet touched the ground. The first time she had tried to fly with her Quirk she ended up hanging upside-down on a crabapple tree in Akita. Her parents then banned flying until the end of time.

"I'm inside the gates," she whispered to her earpiece.

Her childhood home was enormous; three floors, not counting the attic, of modern design in stark white paint with a veranda and a garden. There were two rose bushes near the veranda's entrance. Akira hadn't taken the front gate, of course, but she could already see them where she was. One was deep-red in color, the other a pale golden apricot. "Larks," she whispered, eyeing the latter, "something about larks." Her mother was a keen gardener who needed a pool of well-needed calm for the high-strung energy of a pediatrician, and roses were her absolute favorites.

"To the attic then…" Akira floated once more, now higher, to the attic's window.

Nobody liked the attic. It didn't have the claustrophobic subterranean heaviness that basements have, but people tend to stay away from places where old things are left behind to be forgotten, whether above a house or under it. Feet in the air, she leaned close and pressed her hand on the window as she eyed the latch inside. With a wave of her hand, the latch clicked open, and Akira was inside in mere seconds.

"I'm in," she spoke to Ken.

The attic looked well-maintained. A thin layer of dust covered most of the things, but it wasn't the cobweb-covered decrepit mess that she envisioned. _Someone cared about this room,_ she thought. Mr. Honda probably cleaned it. She could barely remember the mild mannered elderly man. In her faint reminiscence, he was the family's all-around helper. He would be in his late fifties or early sixties by now.

The attic was filled old chairs, boxes and drawers. There was a large wooden wardrobe standing menacingly against the wall, a few torso mannequins, books, framed paintings of nature scenes and other things neatly arranged and stacked. She could properly walk around to peruse the little collection they have here. She began to open a few of the drawers, finding a few knick-knacks here and there, but nothing that told her about why the left Musutafu.

Akira found that her mother liked floral patterns, and her father, at some point, liked to paint. There were things here even she hadn't known about her parents. She spied around for a bit and found two large colorful boxes. It shouldn't have surprised her but finding baby clothes in there made her heart ache.

 _They had a life here_ , she thought. _A good life. A happy life. Why would they leave that all behind?_ They spared no expense to their collection of baby things. Both the boxes were filled to the brim with stuffed animals, rattles, bibs and clothes. They were color-coded as well. One box had the greens, blues and lilac hues. _Dad's handiwork._ Akira surmised her dad was one of those people who found it ludicrous that blue was only worn by male babies. She also guessed he was the one to arrange these by color, too. The other one was the opposite spectrum, filled with oranges, pinks, reds and yellows. She began to dig through the objects, hoping to find something. Anything. As she felt around, her hand fell on something hard buried beneath and slowly pulled it out of the stack of clothing.

"A book?" She murmured. No, a scrapbook. It was about the size of a typical magazine but hardbound, decorated with colorful paper butterflies and pressed flower petals. Inside, she found pictures and cutouts of her family, sans her. Her mother, heavily pregnant, with a smile on her face, beside a little boy, who she guessed was Ichirou, and her father, smiling as well. _Dad never smiled like that before,_ Akira mused. She flipped to a few pages more.

Some items, photos she guessed, were missing and hastily taken out. Akira touched the residue of adhesive and frayed paper, tracing it with her finger. _Why take only some of them?_ Bringing a scrapbook would not have been a problem. Impatient, she thought to look elsewhere when a slip of paper fell out of its pages. Akira could clearly see what it was, looking down on her feet. An ultrasound photo. She picked it up and turned it over. Behind it, in her father's handwriting, there was a sharply scribbled note: "Reminder, think of names!"

Was it her in the ultrasound photo? Most likely. The whole scrapbook seemed to be dedicated to her mother's second pregnancy. She narrowed her eyes at the blobs of grey and black, trying to deduce information. "First trimester… That's all I know about this." She never thoroughly studied gestation and now she wished she did. Akira took out her phone and snapped a picture of it and the boxes, flash and all. "Ah, shit…"

A movement–quick but noticeable—caught her eye, and she hastily spun around to look. _Was there someone else here?_ A terrifying thought, but one she wouldn't throw away at the moment. There was light coming out under the door. Akira stopped breathing. She immediately picked up the scrapbook and put it back into the box, and with a wave of hand, both the boxes closed and slid under the desk she found it. There was only one place to hide.

Akira sped her way to the large wardrobe, her hand glowing, and with a faint shimmer of gold, the doors slowly creaked open. Akira entered it and held her breath as she heard the doorknobs turn and click simultaneously as she closed the wardrobe.

"I swear I heard something," Akira heard the man say. She could see his form on the small space between the wardrobe doors, an elderly man in a shirt and pants, flashlight in hand. _Honda-san._

"Huh? Must've been nothing, I guess." There were heavy footsteps walking away from the room and towards the door. Akira moved to step out of the cramped storage, only to hear a soft giggle.

Inside the wardrobe.

Akira couldn't move or think. Her very sinew tightly wounded like a string.

She stared into the pitch-blackness, only knowing that something was there. _Light, some light, please,_ her thoughts panicked. She reached out and activated her Quirk. The glow immediately filled the wardrobe and Akira peered through her hand and saw her. The ghost had Akira's face again and blood-red eyes, but she was scratching something on the wooden panel of the wardrobe. Akira's eyes fell unto the markings on the wood and aimed her incandescent hand towards it.

Handprints. There were tiny handprints, about a dozen or so, made out of brightly-colored paint. It stopped about half-way up, probably because it was unreachable to a small child. _Did I make th—_ Akira groaned as a splitting headache washed over. She could feel the whole wardrobe shake violently, followed by a mischievous peal of laughter. The ghost was gone, and so was the air from her lungs.

"This place is bad." Akira gasped breathlessly. She hastily stumbled out the wardrobe and out the window. Everything was a blur from that moment on. The attic was far behind her, and when her feet touched the ground, she fell on her hands and knees, breathing heavily.

Then she was running. Running to safety. Running away from her home. But the ghost was running ahead of her too, as if leading her… somewhere. For a few seconds, Akira hurried towards the little ghost and as she sped up to reach out to grasp her—"The fuckin—?!"

A branch had caught her foot and Akira went rolling. Up was down. Down was up. Gravity was a heartless bitch.

Thwack! "Aah!" She winced, feeling something scratch her cheek, and with an _oomph_ , she fell chest-down on a flat and even surface, unlike the bumpiness of the woods she tumbled through. When Akira finally moved to get up, her eyes fell on her hands. They were white dots slowly filling the ground. _What?_ She slowly stood and found herself on a lonely road leading nowhere, and above her, snow fell in its eerie graceful dance from the coal-black sky, landing scattered beneath her feet. Two things dawned on her.

One, it was late April and she had threatened to fight the sun this morning due to the heat.

Two, her nightmares had followed her here.

Akira now walked the road in her dreams. The same desolate place was now haunting her with her eyes open. There was a buzzing in her ear and she groaned as it got louder and louder and louder. There was a jolt from her spine that rang like a siren, screeching danger and to run swiftly away from there.

 _This road again… now all that's missing is…_ Her answer came with a faint sniffle. Akira spun around and found the ghost standing ahead, her back turned towards Akira, but she looked different. Instead of her black collared dress, she wore powder blue pajamas with tiny printed ducks. _Hey... Those are mine..._

"What are y—" She stammered. "Why are you doing this to me?"

The ghost merely sobbed, her body shaking. Akira ran and grabbed the little girl's shoulder, her strength turning her around. Beams of burning bright light poured out of the little girls' eyes and her gaping mouth. The girl let out an ear-piercing shriek and the light from her orifices blinded Akira.

Aki…

 _Someone was calling her_ _,_ Akira thought.

"Aki!" It called out again. Unable to see, Akira felt hands grasping her by the wrist. She yelped and spun away from whoever it was, but they grabbed her collar and shook her instead.

"Aki!" She slowly blinked. The vision of the girl faded away and all she could see was Ken, holding her by the arms. "Aki, wha–what are you doing here?!"

"What?"

"You're in the middle of nowhere! You're supposed to be in the house!" Ken frantically spoke. "You're bleeding, too! Your face! What happened?! What—" Her cousin looked around. "What is this place?"

When Akira finally found her bearings, she gazed around to check where she was. They were on a paved road, alright, but it had been long since it'd seen a soul or even maintenance. Lines of tall healthy stalks of reed and grass had overgrown the now decrepit path. The road itself had broken off and the smooth surface had numerous cracks. But where is here indeed? They couldn't have been too far from the house, but she didn't know there was a road back here… Or maybe she did, and that's why she was led here.

"It looks like no one's used this place in a long time," Ken mumbled. Akira heard a rustle of fabric and Ken's hand dabbed a hankie on the wound on her cheek. "We need to get that treated, then back let's go home, okay?"

She nodded, but Akira could only listen to the hammering of her heart. She slipped a hand into her hoodie pocket and found the ultrasound photo. Out of panic, she had brought it with her. She peered longingly at the little blobs and white noise. Something had happened here. Something that made them leave. The very birthplace of Akira's nightmares.

 _You probably didn't expect to turn out like this._ She thought to the photo of her unborn self. _I didn't plan this to- I'm so sorry. I have become someone you could not be proud of._ Akira stared blankly at the photo, not feeling the cold tears falling down her face.

 _I'll make it up to you. I promise._

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 _ **Yes! I am still here!**_ _Still going strong! Belated Happy New Year, 2020! It's May, I know, but based on the lateness of this chapter... Fuck it._

 _No, I have not abandoned this work. Its too precious to me. I had a lot of problems the last time I posted, first from technical problems. My PC and my smartphone finally gave up and it accidentally deleted some of my notes and concepts. That really set me back a long, long way. Also, I have recently recovered from an illness that has been causing me problems since late 2018. I am fine now. I am doing well and currently working at home and working on this fic. This is a series, by the way. Project Ultrabright comes in two parts. The title of the second part is currently TBA._

 _The greatest surprise, for me, is that this book has been un-updated since January 2019 yet there are still people loving it and liking it. It has been more than a year and yet I am still getting comments, reviews and likes. Thank you for your support and for waiting. More chapters are incoming._

 _Stay safe, lovelies._

 _ **Up next... Chapter XI**_

 _ **Akira's visit to her childhood home provides more questions than answers, as a storm brews within her, the Sports Festival commences. All eyes are on the U.A students and some... with the darkest intentions.**_


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